Karate, Wushu in the Running for 2020 Summer Olympics

[JR 137]

The more that's added to the Olympics, the more it uninteresting it becomes to watch!! I'm slowly becoming disenchanted with the entire event.

Imho.

Completely agreed. I think they should go with the original intent of the games - testing warriors' skills against each other in non-lethal ways. Hence the combat sports, target sports, running/track events, etc. Have those events be the core, then add a few other popular team sports like basketball, volleyball, etc.

Motorboating used to be an Olympic event (meaning racing motorboats, not the pop culture version; the pop culture version would be pretty cool as an Olympic event though lol). Thankfully it's not anymore.

I hate to say it, but why should soccer be an Olympic event? There's already a world wide competition for it every 4 years that watched by billions. How many international tennis tourneys are there? Do we need to it in the Olympics too?

The Olympics are a spectator event, so they have to go with what generates the most profit, even if that means losing the original intent.

[sensei8]

Not every MA style NEEDS to be in the Olympics. Judo was fine. TKD was fine. Now wanting to add Karate to the Olympics, isn't fine because I don't believe that the Olympics should try to satisfy the masses by adding and adding and adding and adding and....good grief, Charlie Brown!! There are way too many MA's to be considered to appease every style and/or every governing body on the planet.

Can't see them all on TV anyway, or in person because of scheduling conflicts with what people want to watch. Why? TOO MANY!! The more they add the longer the Olympics will be or the lessor people will be able to watch because of scheduling conflicts.

[JR 137]

Not every MA style NEEDS to be in the Olympics. Judo was fine. TKD was fine. Now wanting to add Karate to the Olympics, isn't fine because I don't believe that the Olympics should try to satisfy the masses by adding and adding and adding and adding and....good grief, Charlie Brown!! There are way too many MA's to be considered to appease every style and/or every governing body on the planet.

Can't see them all on TV anyway, or in person because of scheduling conflicts with what people want to watch. Why? TOO MANY!! The more they add the longer the Olympics will be or the lessor people will be able to watch because of scheduling conflicts.

Japan wants to add it (one of s few sports being debated) because it's a national sport for them as the host country. I believe the host nation gets to add one sport of their choosing. It's not permanent, it just a one-shot deal. It could become permanent if it's ratings are good enough though. I'm sure they'd get rid of an "underperforming" sport to replace it with. I like the concept that every host gets to choose a national pride sport. It brings culture to the forefront when done correctly.

[Montana]

I kind of hope that Karate doesn't get into the Olympics. I love Karate down to its roots but traditional Karate dojos are already pretty rare around here compared to sports karate/cardio karate/karate kickboxing.

Agreed. IMHO, getting TKD into the Olympics ruined the art. How rediculous is it to stand nose to nose and try to kick someone in the head...sheer nonsense IMO.

[sensei8]

JR137 and Montana...Solid posts, both!!

[JR 137]

A lot of traditional karateka have the opinion that Olympic karate will do to karate what Olympic TKD did to TKD. It's a very, very hard point to argue. I think that while it'll undoubtedly bring more attention/focus and people to sport karate, it won't come close to killing traditional karate. There are a ton of people in sport karate and a ton of people in traditional karate already. It's not a new "sport" to our society in the least bit.

I also think if it is knockdown instead of WKF-ish rules, their will be less chance of a sport karate takeover.

Remember, it's a one-shot thing. If it catches on like wildfire it'll stay, but that's highly unlikely.

Again, I think the best way to differentiate karate from TKD to the masses in an event as big as the Olympics is full-contact. The masses know TKD as the fully padded, touch contact sport that punches don't count for points. Karate's already got stigma of being a kids' ineffective point fighting sport. If they were smart, they'd change that by showing another side.

All IMO of course. I in no way agree with the masses, just stating the overwhelming public opinion I've heard countless times.

[liger]

A lot of traditional karateka have the opinion that Olympic karate will do to karate what Olympic TKD did to TKD. It's a very, very hard point to argue. I think that while it'll undoubtedly bring more attention/focus and people to sport karate, it won't come close to killing traditional karate. There are a ton of people in sport karate and a ton of people in traditional karate already. It's not a new "sport" to our society in the least bit.

I also think if it is knockdown instead of WKF-ish rules, their will be less chance of a sport karate takeover.

Remember, it's a one-shot thing. If it catches on like wildfire it'll stay, but that's highly unlikely.

Again, I think the best way to differentiate karate from TKD to the masses in an event as big as the Olympics is full-contact. The masses know TKD as the fully padded, touch contact sport that punches don't count for points. Karate's already got stigma of being a kids' ineffective point fighting sport. If they were smart, they'd change that by showing another side.

All IMO of course. I in no way agree with the masses, just stating the overwhelming public opinion I've heard countless times.

I personally agree with you opinion on this.

[Judodad_karateson]

I was just a child when TKD was added, and frankly, I can't even imagine what non-Olympic TKD was like!

[JR 137]

My father and both his brothers were TKD black belts in the 60's. Reportedly, their TKD was like a flashier kyokushin (less emphasis on thigh kicks, more on high kicks) but not as hard contact. They did plenty of contact, but not bare-knuckle. They grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, so that may have something to do with it. I've worked out with one of my uncles several times. After coming here, he took it up again 15 or so years later. He didn't last long, saying "That's not TKD, it's a tag game sport." I still mix it up with him every now and then. Me being 5'8 220 lb and him being 6'3 275, it's an interesting match up for me.

[sensei8]

My father and both his brothers were TKD black belts in the 60's. Reportedly, their TKD was like a flashier kyokushin (less emphasis on thigh kicks, more on high kicks) but not as hard contact. They did plenty of contact, but not bare-knuckle. They grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, so that may have something to do with it. I've worked out with one of my uncles several times. After coming here, he took it up again 15 or so years later. He didn't last long, saying "That's not TKD, it's a tag game sport." I still mix it up with him every now and then. Me being 5'8 220 lb and him being 6'3 275, it's an interesting match up for me.

Thanks for sharing that; great points to absorb.