Will the Olympics prompt WKF to be kumite oriented?

[barefoot-kohai]

Easy:

Something like https://www.wkf.net/pdf/WKFCompetitionRules2018.pdf

Links:

https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/olympic/karate/

https://www.wkf.net/olympic-tokyo2020.php

Like in all sports, the competitor's selecion is a matter of the local olympic comitee through the official Country Karate Feederation.

For example, for the Americas and USA

https://www.wkf.net/structure-panamerican-karate-federation.php

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Karate

[JR 137]

Easy:

Something like https://www.wkf.net/pdf/WKFCompetitionRules2018.pdf

Links:

https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/olympic/karate/

https://www.wkf.net/olympic-tokyo2020.php

Like in all sports, the competitor's selecion is a matter of the local olympic comitee through the official Country Karate Feederation.

For example, for the Americas and USA

https://www.wkf.net/structure-panamerican-karate-federation.php

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Karate

Yup. Several organizations and boards were considered for the ones in charge of setting rules of competition and qualification to compete. WKF was awarded those rights because of their level of organization. I’m pretty sure they had to change some stuff to be in compliance with the IOC. Many other organizations made a bid to be the governing body, but it went to the WKF. The WKF isn’t allowed to make its own rules; the rules need to be approved by the IOC.

As far as approved kata goes...

The WKF has recently expanded the approved kata list to include some kata from styles from groups that were largely excluded previously. There’s a few Uechi Ryu and Kyokushin kata. They’ve also expanded what’s acceptable in the standardized kata - Oyama made some relatively big changes to kata; Oyama’s changes are now allowed, or better yet and not penalized for drifting from the norm.

Don’t take any of that as me being pro-WKF. I’m not a fan of their sparring AT ALL. I’d have loved to see knockdown rules for kumite. I think WKF’s sparring has too much in common with TKD sparring to the non-MAist’s eye to really set it apart like it should. They’d have been no mistaking knockdown competition for TKD sparring in the Olympics IMO. I’d have loved to see a side of karate sparring be presented that a lot of people don’t see normally. Instead, we get the stereotypical point fighting.

WKF rules won out because they were easily the most well-organized, not because they’re the best rules for demonstrating what karate competition is all about. I agree with the IOC’s decision, but I don’t like it. But I’m glad kata will also be an event.

[JR 137]

Everyone’s getting excited about karate being in the Olympics, either excited in a good way or a bad way. I honestly think it’s just wasted energy as it’ll most likely not be included permanently after the Japan Olympics. Every host country gets to add a few events as a trial/demonstration, and karate was chosen by Japan. In order to be kept, it needs to be hugely popular in viewing and replaced another permanent event. I hate to say it, but I don’t think it stands a chance of making it past Japan. I’d love to see it happen, but I’d easily wager a large sum of money against it happening solely out of being realistic. As hard as it was to get in, it’ll be 100x harder to stay in.

[barefoot-kohai]

Everyone’s getting excited about karate being in the Olympics, either excited in a good way or a bad way. I honestly think it’s just wasted energy as it’ll most likely not be included permanently after the Japan Olympics. Every host country gets to add a few events as a trial/demonstration, and karate was chosen by Japan. In order to be kept, it needs to be hugely popular in viewing and replaced another permanent event. I hate to say it, but I don’t think it stands a chance of making it past Japan. I’d love to see it happen, but I’d easily wager a large sum of money against it happening solely out of being realistic. As hard as it was to get in, it’ll be 100x harder to stay in.

Can't say... Tae Kwon Do seems to be holding.

[JR 137]

Everyone’s getting excited about karate being in the Olympics, either excited in a good way or a bad way. I honestly think it’s just wasted energy as it’ll most likely not be included permanently after the Japan Olympics. Every host country gets to add a few events as a trial/demonstration, and karate was chosen by Japan. In order to be kept, it needs to be hugely popular in viewing and replaced another permanent event. I hate to say it, but I don’t think it stands a chance of making it past Japan. I’d love to see it happen, but I’d easily wager a large sum of money against it happening solely out of being realistic. As hard as it was to get in, it’ll be 100x harder to stay in.

Can't say... Tae Kwon Do seems to be holding.

Yup, TKD’s holding. Is there enough room for both is the question. Will it split TKD’s fan base and doom both? I don’t see them as distinct enough from each other in the layperson’s eye to coexist. But that’s just me. And I’m a karateka and I find WKF sparring pretty boring. How much of the general public will find it interesting enough to sustain it?

Only time will tell the answers to all those questions and more.

[OneKickWonder]

Everyone’s getting excited about karate being in the Olympics, either excited in a good way or a bad way. I honestly think it’s just wasted energy as it’ll most likely not be included permanently after the Japan Olympics. Every host country gets to add a few events as a trial/demonstration, and karate was chosen by Japan. In order to be kept, it needs to be hugely popular in viewing and replaced another permanent event. I hate to say it, but I don’t think it stands a chance of making it past Japan. I’d love to see it happen, but I’d easily wager a large sum of money against it happening solely out of being realistic. As hard as it was to get in, it’ll be 100x harder to stay in.

Can't say... Tae Kwon Do seems to be holding.

Yup, TKD’s holding. Is there enough room for both is the question. Will it split TKD’s fan base and doom both? I don’t see them as distinct enough from each other in the layperson’s eye to coexist. But that’s just me. And I’m a karateka and I find WKF sparring pretty boring. How much of the general public will find it interesting enough to sustain it?

Only time will tell the answers to all those questions and more.

Well, I for one am really looking forward to karate in the Olympics.

I find Olympic TKD to be worse than boring. I find it quite upsetting. TKD is a formidable style. It takes many of the good bits of karate, with bit of other styles, to make an awesome system. I believe several armies use it as a base for their unarmed combat training.

What we see in the Olympics is not martial art. It is a travesty. A game of high tech tag where two players where pads with sensors in them, and while their arms flop around as though completely dead, they kick tag each other. A computer records the strikes and scores them based on which sensor was tapped.

It would be more fun and more sporting to watch lazerquest.

Of course karate has rules just as anything does when played as a sport. But here is a chance to try again, and hopefully not turn another fine art into a joke. Still, there's always Judo.

[wayneshin]

Everyone’s getting excited about karate being in the Olympics, either excited in a good way or a bad way. I honestly think it’s just wasted energy as it’ll most likely not be included permanently after the Japan Olympics. Every host country gets to add a few events as a trial/demonstration, and karate was chosen by Japan. In order to be kept, it needs to be hugely popular in viewing and replaced another permanent event. I hate to say it, but I don’t think it stands a chance of making it past Japan. I’d love to see it happen, but I’d easily wager a large sum of money against it happening solely out of being realistic. As hard as it was to get in, it’ll be 100x harder to stay in.

I think it’s likely to hold its place for Paris 2024. WKF Karate is massive in France. They have a strong team that is fully funded and events get wide TV covered. However LA2028 and it is almost certainly gone.