karate olymipcs

[qamarep]

Do you all know that karate is not in olympics, yet .

Who here wants it to be included in the olympics games.

if you want it to be then let me know with your feelings.

regards

[AdamKralic]

I did know that it was not in the Olympics.

I believe very strongly that it should be. I only see benefits for both the art and the sport. Having an olympic karate event will increase the number of students. This will mean more revenue for dojos across the globe. It will also open up the likelihood of karate scholarships and sponsorships. More interest always equals more $$$ to go around.

But most importantly it's all about giving the young fighters a chance to display their skill set for the entire world to see. Competition in anything is good for a young man. It teaches that hard work + sacrifice + dedication = success. More young men need to be taught this...and by it being in the Olympics; more would be.

Now for those worried about it would do this to training/it would do that...why? There is an NBA...yet I play HORSE. My point is that increased interest doesn't mean that you HAVE to teach to the olympic style. You will get increased interest in all styles! Just like when a family sees a Karate Kid movie. They want to sign their kid up to do stuff "like that." They aren't specifically wanting him to learn that "crane kick."

[wagnerk]

While I've been a supporter to get karate into the Olympics. I know that karate has so many splits and so many rule sets it would be near impossible to get a "proper" unified front.

[qamarep]

While I've been a supporter to get karate into the Olympics. I know that karate has so many splits and so many rule sets it would be near impossible to get a "proper" unified front.

can you be more specific

[Wastelander]

I am on the anti-Olympic-karate side of the discussion, and we have covered this topic a few times here on KF, already:

http://www.karateforums.com/karate-in-olympics-vt46576.html?highlight=karate+olympics

http://www.karateforums.com/olympic-karatedo-vt44652.html?highlight=karate+olympics

In general, the pro-Olympic-karate folks tend to support it because they feel it will increase interest in karate and provide incentive for new athletes to participate in it. Conversely, the anti-Olympic-karate folks tend to believe it will water down karate and promote the sport/aesthetic aspects of it too much. As for the reason it isn't in the Olympics, already, I believe it is because it is too similar to Taekwondo and the average viewer won't be able to tell the difference.

[Kanku65]

True, some people may not be able to tell the difference between TKD and Karate. However, they have multiple running/swimming/diving/sledding events in the Olympics which look far more similar to one another than Karate and TKD from my perspective as an average viewer of the former events I listed.

On this topic, I'm completely undecided about whether or not it should or shouldn't be in the Olympics. To me, it doesn't matter so much. No matter what happens, I'm still going to train the way I currently train because i enjoy it and see constant improvement in myself and those I train with.

[wayneshin]

Karate (under the WKF rule set) has been “close” to Olympic inclusion on a number of occasions but for varying reasons has missed out.

In 2005 we finished with the highest number of votes but att he time needed a two-thirds majority for inclusion.

Then prior to the 2009 vote the IOC changed the rules so only a majority was necessary. We finished third behind golf and rugby sevens. Ironically golf were not considered to be in the race until Tiger Woods merged and stated that if Golf made the Olympics he would definitely play. A month or so after the decision he was caught up in his infidelity scandal.

Then last year we did not even make the short list. Wrestling was taken off the program to make room for a new sport then wrestling was voted back on. We finished behind squash and roller sports!!

I can’t help thinking we are further away than ever. The IOC seem to be favoring sports with appeal to those who pay for broadcasting rights. However we are starting to improve in that area. The last World Championships in Paris were hosted in a 16,000 seat stadium which was sold out every day for months in advance. I understand this years World in Germany in November may already be sold out and many television networks throughout Europe will be televising them live.

[RAM18]

It cant be an Olympic sport as there is too much variation.

Look at the Kata Seishan, There are literally about 5 completely different "correct" ways of performing it based on the Style.

Who decides if Shotokan or Wado Ryu is the official Olympic style?

Some styles fight points based some continuous...Karate has diverged massively over time. The closest unified tournament body is probably WKF and that's a long way from Olympic standard really.

Its a sad truth of Karate.

[sensei8]

No matter the karate style chosen, if at all, for the Olympics, I seriously doubt that kata would be included because, for the layperson, kata isn't as fun as watching two people trying to knock each others block off, imho. For the layperson, kata can be as exciting to watch as watching grass grow.

[unknownstyle]

I am against it as it will water things down even further than i believe NASKA and ISKA already have. if anything we should be rallying to bet back to the traditional ways of Karate and trying to have comperition like that. i am if anything were to change my mind it would be if the rules were the same as knockdown tournaments. that is Karates root and that's would competition should be.