About the KBN

The association for everyone who is committed to safe and responsible

karate practice. The Karate-do Bond Nederland represents the interests of
the more than 190 affiliated karate schools and approximately 9,000
individual members. What are we doing?

 Competitions : you can participate in tournaments at different levels;

 Talents: as a talent, we help and guide you to get into the karate top;
 Teaching: we provide training from Dojo Assistant to Karate Teacher;
 Activities : recreational sport locally and nationally;
 Courses and training: thematic deepening;
 Referee : we train you to a national or even international level;
 Degree exam: with us you can take an exam for EKF / WKF recognized
degree degrees.
Honorary Member & Member of Merit

The Karate-do Bond Nederland cherishes all people who voluntarily contribute to the
karate sport in the Netherlands. Without our administrators, referees, committee
members, educators, trainers and all other volunteers, we would not have come this
far.

The KBN can give the designation 'Honorary Member' and 'Member of Merit' to
volunteers and KBN members with a long track record. At the proposal of the KBN
Federation Board and with the consent of the Federal Assembly, an association or
personal member who has made himself useful for karate-do in general and for the
KBN in particular (for a long time) can be appointed as 'Honorary member' or
'Member of Merit'.

KBN Honorary Members and Members of Merit

Below is an overview of all KBN Honorary Members and Members of Merit *

Honorary member

 B. Italiaander
 R. Reeberg
 RM Quick
 YES Harthoorn
 DJ Roovers
 G. van Mourik
 D. Sabanovic

Member of Merit

 RT Noise
 JJC Bakker
 RJ Meijer
  D. Partapsing
 JH Kallenbach
 W. van Daalen
 H. Zondervan
 ACM van Heumen
 A. van Daalen
 AB Sukel
 YES Tasty
 REM Zwartjes
 JW Swart
 D. Berens
 JGW Martens
 AP ter Veer
 JJ de Bruin

* Those who have given permission for publication on the KBN website.

Vision
Sportsmanship, self-awareness, mutual respect, and safety

These are the preconditions that we consider important. That is the

climate in which everyone can practice karate and related self-defense
methods and can further develop and improve. Whether you are active
nationally or internationally, it does not matter. We are here for all karate
practitioners.

And for volunteers we offer optimal development opportunities in a

working climate of solidarity, openness and togetherness.

Sixteen points
To give substance to this and determine a course for the future, we have identified
16 points on which we will be working in the coming years. Our multi-year policy plan
states:

 The image of the karate sport and of the karate practitioner in the
Netherlands should be generally positive. The mentality that is inextricably
linked to the practice of a Budo sport should be well known and should be
found in the attitude and behavior of all members.
 The organization is supported by many volunteers.
 There must be a connection between competitive sport at an international
level. Internationally appealing results are considered necessary for the sale
of the product “karate”.
 Top sport must be shaped in a professional manner, in which talent scouting
and development play an important role.
 The KBN wishes to participate and make an active contribution to European
and World Cups and possibly in the future to the Olympic Games.
  Conducting scientific research into the influence of participation in budo
disciplines on the attitude and behavior of people, for social legitimation.
 Promoting Karate and related self-defense methods among all walks of life
and creating framework conditions for practicing and organizing the
aforementioned sports disciplines.
 Creating professional preconditions (including education, training,
competitions, arbitral tribunal) and facilities for everyone who is actively
involved in the (organization of) Karate and related martial arts.
 There must be a very high affiliation rate of all active karate practitioners in
the Netherlands (> 80%).
 The association must identify itself to the members by working in a market-
oriented way. This is achieved by conducting research and actively identifying
wishes among members.
 There must be a high degree of involvement of the members with the
activities of the association. This must be reflected in, among other things, a
high participation rate in organized activities and an extensive volunteer
corps for organizing these activities.
 Developing and implementing an unambiguous and fair grading system in
accordance with international guidelines for karate and related defense
sports.
 The KBN must be the organization that represents practitioners of karate and
related self-defense sports in the Netherlands at a national and international
level.
 There must be a professional association that, according to the modern
principles of business management, is structured as an independent
organization with objectified procedures. Vision and long-term planning are
essential for this.
 There must be a healthy financial position in which the structural expenditure
is covered by structural income. Sponsorship should provide a substantial
contribution.
 There must be a good balance between the representation of the interests of
the competitive athlete and the recreationist

educations
A karate-do teacher has a valuable and beautiful job. Teaching, guiding
and supporting people in their sporting, personal and social
development. The higher the quality of the teacher, the higher the quality
of his students. That is why we have a training structure that has been set
up in accordance with the requirements of NOC * NSF and the Academy
for Sports Framework.
 Recognized by NOC * NSF and ASK

Vision on teaching
With our courses we want to train teachers and assistants who can
transfer karate-do and related self-defense methods and systems in a
safe, responsible and inspiring way, teach it and guide and support the
practitioners in their sporting and personal development.

A karate-do teacher has a valuable and beautiful job. Teaching, guiding and
supporting people in their sporting, personal and social development. The higher the
quality of the teacher, the higher the quality of his students. This affects the life of
the student and the people in the environment. With this, the karate teacher tries to
make a positive contribution to society.

Teaching is an essential part of the karate-do tradition. Because without good

teachers there is no future. Passing on knowledge from one generation to the next
gives karate-do its rich history and culture. This is a beautiful but not always easy
task. Responding to individual needs, connecting with developments in society and
physical education, making use of modern scientific knowledge and technology and
at the same time maintaining the traditions is a major challenge that many karate-do
teachers (should) deal with.

In addition, the karate-do teacher has a great 'extra' responsibility. Several studies
show that the pedagogical effect of martial arts largely depends on the behavior of
the teacher. The teacher must be a role model.

The ultimate goal is that lessons are given at all karate clubs from a culture of
connection, competence and autonomy and in which there is a good balance
between qualification, socialization and personal development.

The KBN prepares teachers for this task by providing teacher training courses from a
culture of connection, competence and autonomy with a good balance between
qualification, socialization and personal development.

Grandmaster Funakoshi also emphasized the dangers of karate-do as a martial art:

The value of the art depends on the one applying it. If its application is for
a good purpose, then the art is of great value; but if it is misused, then
karate can become an evil and even harmful art. “

Teaching is learning
In addition to transferring knowledge, teaching has another valuable task. Teaching
is an important part of the learning process. From the moment karatekas pass their
1st dan exam, they are often used as assistants. From that level it is also important
for their own development to stand in front of a group themselves. It provides new
insights and stimulates new developments. Not only in the technical field, but also in
the social-emotional and cognitive field. These are also skills that can be applied in
daily life. How do you stand for a group? How can you guide someone's behavior in a
positive way? How do you explain things? How do you adapt to the target
group? With this, the karateka develops valuable skills that extend beyond the dojo.
To teach is to have knowledge
Responding to needs requires knowledge of developments in society and physical
education. Sometimes the needs are in line with social development, and sometimes
the opposite. It is necessary to take a close look at the real needs and the
contribution that karate-do can make in this without compromising the traditional
values.
Modern training methods
Using modern training methods and knowledge is important to be able to teach in a
safe, responsible and efficient way. New knowledge has led to new insights. This
allows us to further increase the quality and safety of the lessons.

Pedagogical value
The varied target group has a large number of objectives. The karate-do teacher
must have knowledge of the traits and needs of the practitioners. Knowledge of
children with behavioral disorders or other cultures is also part of this. Differentiation
is important to respond to individual needs and at the same time maintain the
characteristic structure. To be able to do this knowledge of different target groups
and didactic / methodical models is necessary.

The competition element makes karate-do suitable for sports-oriented

practitioners. This makes the sports form a valuable addition, as long as it is part of
the large formative whole.

The pedagogical value depends on the goodbye of the teacher and the examples he
gives of it. This makes the importance of competence-based training clear. It's not
just knowledge and skill that matter. The attitude also plays an important role in
this. The karate-do teacher must be a role model of desired behavior.
 Recognized training
By paying attention to the above points, we offer a high-quality training that is in line
with social developments and needs. Our courses are recognized by NOC * NSF and
Akademie voor Sportkader.

In this way, we train qualified teachers and assistants who can transfer karate-do
and related self-defense methods in a safe, responsible and inspiring way to the next
generations.

Exemption
A competency-based system offers the possibility to be exempted if
previously acquired qualifications (PAQ) are present. In general, a trained
trainer (within the KSS) is exempted from PvBs if he / she has followed a
course of the same level at another sports association.

The PAQ (exemption) is issued on the basis of a comparison of the assessment

criteria of the SOs of the federation courses. If a criterion is missing when comparing
the PvBs, the union can start an EVC (previously acquired competences) process for
this. An EVC trajectory can also be requested when a student has completed a
relevant training. Think of an ALO, CIOS or Sport and Exercise. The student must
provide additional burden of proof in order to meet all criteria.

Based on EVK and / or EVC, exemption can be granted for:

 Attending class days

 Making assignments and / or
 Taking Tests of Competences
Attending class days
If you believe that you can obtain an exemption from attending class days on the
basis of EVK and / or EVC, this should be done in consultation with your learning
coach.

Making assignments
If you believe you can obtain an exemption on the basis of EVK and / or EVC for
carrying out the conditional assignments associated with a PvB, this should be done
in consultation with your learning coach.

Taking Tests of Competences

If you believe that you can obtain an exemption on the basis of EVK and / or EVC for
taking a PvB, you can submit a written request for this to the assessment
committee. This application is substantiated with arguments and provided with
evidence. At the request of a candidate, the Assessment Committee can grant an
exemption from taking an SO on the basis of previously acquired qualifications.

Although exemption is possible, we want to encourage students to be present as

much as possible and to carry out all assignments. The PvBs, associated
assignments and course days are specifically filled in karate-do and that
distinguishes us from other sports / federation courses. And if a student already
possesses certain competencies, he / she will be able to complete the assignments
faster, which reduces the study load. Presence is also desirable to stimulate learning
from each other.

The costs of the training will remain the same, also for students with an exemption.

Vanencompetition
The KBN Vanen Competition is intended for starting youth (6-17 years) to
lower the threshold for participation in competitions. On these competition
days youth karatekas can participate in kata and kumite competitions.
The children receive points for both good and bad performances. The emphasis is
therefore not on winning, but on gaining experience in a pleasant and safe
environment. The reward for the bet is made tangible by adding up the points over
the different competition days and linking them to pennants in the colors of the
different bands. In addition, all children receive a diploma with the number of points
obtained every competition day.

Goals
 Introducing youth in a responsible manner and in a familiar environment and
gaining experience in competition karate.
 Children gradually learn to deal with competitive aspects of karate such as
winning, losing and performing under pressure.
 Better prepare children for tape exams.
 More connection with the karate sport by regularly offering fun and
atmospheric competitions.
 Increasing parental involvement in sports and the association
 Involve older youth in refereeing and organizing karate competitions at club
level.

Setup in short
You can participate in both the kata and kumite on the competition day. Children
register using a registration form that is handed out and taken by the teacher. Prior
to the competition day, the participants are divided into groups of five or six
karatekas of comparable weight, age and kyu grade. On the competition day,
participants run katas belonging to the participant's band. The participants play
katas against each other. This means that two participants who are together in a
group will run the same kata at the same time and that the referees will determine a
winner. In principle, everyone plays a kata / kumite against another karateka four
times. In a group of six participants, all participants play a kata five times and only
the best four scores count.
Reward system
The points from the different competition days are added together. Whenever a limit
of 100 is exceeded, the competitor receives a pennant. Each competitor starts in C
class. When reaching 700 points, the competitor receives a trophy and then the
competitor starts again with zero points in the next class.

Points overview
Score Vanen C-Class Vanen B-Class Vanen A-Class

100 White White White

200 Yellow Yellow Yellow

300 Orange Orange Orange

400 Green Green Green

500 Blue Blue Blue

600 Brown Brown Brown

700 Trophy Trophy Trophy

Vanen competitions

Several KBN vanen competitions are organized. These can roughly be divided into
the regions North, Central and South.

For a complete overview of the KBN vanen competitions, see our agenda .

Coaching
Coaching is more than just being on the competition floor. More than just
yelling your pupil for a score.

A number of years ago, the WKF / EKF issued rules of conduct, frameworks and
guidelines within which a coach can, may or even must use his skills towards his
pupil (s) during the matches.

The KBN follows this example and has introduced a KBN Coach course with effect
from the 2019/2020 season. Every coach who is active for a Dutch club at an OAV
tournament, N (J) K or ON (J) K must have obtained the KBN Coach license before the
start of the tournament. The Vanento tournaments are an exception to this, no coach
license is required for this. More substantive information about this course can be
found in the attached letter.
The course costs € 50.00 per person, and upon completion of the course, a license is
valid for three years. The licenses can be withdrawn by the WOC coordinator or Chief
Referee appointed by the KBN during an OAV tournament or (O) NK.

Who is the coach course for?

The coaching course is intended for anyone who wants to coach his / her pupils at
(O) NK's and OAV tournaments of the KBN, and / or wants more information about
the rules of coaching in general.

The minimum age to be active as a coach on the competition floor at the (O) NK is
18 years. Furthermore, a participant in the coach course must be a member of the
KBN.

Exemption
There are now a number of coaches in the Netherlands who have obtained a WKF
(World Karate Federation) coach license. With a valid and demonstrable WKF license,
a coach automatically receives a KBN coach license, as long as the WKF license is
valid. Both the 'Accredited Coach' and the 'Certified Coach' license count for this.

Karatekas with a KBN teacher training or referee diploma are not eligible for an
exemption. The KBN coach license is intended to keep everyone up-to-date with
regard to the rules and agreements on and around the tatami. That is why the coach
license is also only valid for a limited period. For the KBN, the coach license is a
better opportunity to better regulate behavior on and around the tatami. In addition,
we want to protect our referees and volunteers against incorrect and undesirable
behavior at the matches.

Following the coaching course

The next opportunity to follow the coaching course is currently not planned yet.

To participate in the coaching course, every coach must register via Sportdata.

Pay attention! A special event has been created for the coach course, registration as
a coach for the NK is not automatically a registration for the coach
course. Registering for the coach course is otherwise the same as registering as a
coach for an event. There are two categories of coach enrollments, which correspond
to the two possibilities mentioned above to follow the course.

If you have any questions about the coaching course and / or registering via
Sportdata, please contact the WOC via woc@kbn.nl .

Waiting times
You cannot just take the exam consecutively for the next degree. The
next degree requires a lot of training, commitment and deepening. That is
why there are waiting times before you can go up for the next degree. The
KBN uses the waiting times below.

Participation in the Danexamen is only possible for persons who have been a
member of the KBN for at least 3 consecutive years. Exceptions can be made for
persons from other comparable unions or organizations. The waiting times apply to
the moment you take the exam.

1st Dan Youth

 Be a KBN member for at least 3 consecutive full years

 At least ½ year in possession of the 1st Kyu
 Minimum age is 12 years

1st Dan
  Be a KBN member for at least 3 consecutive full years
 At least ½ year in possession of the 1st Kyu
 Minimum age is 15 years

2nd Dan

 Be a KBN member for at least 3 consecutive years

 At least 2 years in possession of the 1st Dan KBN
 Minimum age is 17 years

3rd Dan

 Be in possession of the 2nd Dan KBN for at least 3 years

 Minimum age is 21 years

4th Dan

 Be in possession of the 3rd Dan KBN for at least 4 years

 Minimum age is 26 years

5th Dan

 Be in possession of the 4th Dan KBN for at least 5 years

 Minimum age is 32 years

6th Dan

 Instructions for the 6th Dane exam will follow shortly.

Karatekas from other organizations are welcome. Different rules apply for
this. Please contact the union office for this.

Special dan exam

From May 2020, the special dance exam will always take place on the
same day as the regular dance exams. This means that the special dance
exam will take place twice a year from May 2020.

The special dance exam is for the following target groups:

 Candidates who are not allowed to take the exam on Sunday for religious
reasons (open exam)
 KBN-recognized teachers for 4th and 5th dan (private exam)
 Candidates who have reached the age of 60 (private exam)
 Candidates with a recognized disability (medical and / or psychological /
psychiatric statement, private exam)

From May 2020, the special dance exam will always take place on the same day as
the regular dance exams. This means that the special dance exam will take place
twice a year from May 2020. The candidates who take the special dance exam take
their exam in the afternoon in a separate round. In exceptional cases, it remains
possible, in consultation with the platform representative, Coordinator Dangraden
and Promotions and the Federation Bureau, to take a special exam on a different
day.
ABOUT US
The Management Board of the Polish Karate Union consists of:

1. Paweł Połtorzecki - President of the Management Board

 coordination of the work of the Management Board;

 representing the Polish Karate Union;
 cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport and the
Polish Olympic Committee;
 cooperation with the World Karate Federation.

2. Mariusz Pełka - Secretary General

 implementation of resolutions and decisions of the Management Board and
the Polish Karate Union Commission;
 financial matters;
 acquiring and settling funds from internal and external sources;
 cooperation with an accounting office;
 cooperation with a law firm;
 anti-doping and medical matters;
 communication;
 cooperation with the statutory committee;
 coordination of international cooperation;
 managing the office of the Polish Karate Union.

3. Andrzej Zaleski - Vice-President for Organization and Development

 competition matters (including changes to club colors);

 cooperation with the sports director;
 cooperation with the Council of Trainers;
 general sport and youth sport;
 coordination of activities in the field of academic sports;
 coordination of activities in the field of sport of disabled people;
 organization of a stylish karate competition within the framework permitted
by the WKF;
 organization and cooperation with the Commission for awarding DAN degrees

4. Marcin Osiejewski - Vice President for Operations

 organization and supervision over the current operations of PUK;

 coordination and control of events organized as part of the Polish Karate
Union (including sports competitions, training camps, trips, etc.);
 managing the calendar of Polish Karate Union events;
 purchases (including organization and cooperation with the Procurement
Committee);
 cooperation with external partners - suppliers;
 procedures and regulations;
 developing a strategy for building regional structures of the Polish Karate
Union.

5. Wiesław Grochowina - member of the Management Board

 Management Board representative for cooperation with the Judges

Committee;
 coordinating the process of admitting new members to the structures of the
Polish Karate Union;
 disciplinary proceedings;
 analysis of complaints and requests
Józef Sołtysiak, Zbigniew Sworeń and Marek Pawlaczyk were elected to the Audit
Committee . On October 11, 2020, the first meeting of the Audit Committee took
place, which chose the Chairman, Józef Sołtysiak.

The Polish Karate Union was founded in December 2017 by a group of people who
have been associated with karate for many years - trainers, educators, judges and
players. By virtue of the decision of the Executive Committee of the World Karate
Federation - with effect from April 13, 2018 - the Polish Karate Union became a
member of the WKF, at the same time receiving an exclusive license in Poland. This
decision was ratified by the WKF Congress on November 5, 2018 in Madrid.

The above decision means that the Polish Karate Union has the exclusive right, inter
alia, to:
  the organization and co-organization of all Olympic Karate
competitions according to the rules of the WKF;
 use of the WKF logos and other markings identifying the World Karate
Federation;
 training and appointment of WKF judges for competitions in Poland and
abroad;
 representing all directions set by the World Karate Federation in Poland;
 any other action on behalf of the World Karate Federation.

The main goal of PUK's activity is the dynamic development of karate as an

Olympic discipline , integration of the environment, strengthening the position of
karate in the martial arts world, open and transparent guidance of Polish karate
towards the Olympic Games.

Therefore, I am asking Karate Clubs operating in Poland, interested in the activities

of Olympic Karate according to the WKF guidelines, to contact the Board of the Polish
Karate Union in order to discuss the possibility of organizing and participating in WKF
Karate competitions and using the World Karate Federation logos in Poland.

COMITET DIRECTOR

Presedinte: Octavian Valeriu AMZULESCU

Secretar General: Cristian BOGZA
Director General: Florin TOMA
Vicepresedinte Stil: Vasile MANEA
Vicepresedinte Sportiv: Cristian BOGZA
Vicepresedinte Marketing: Valerian MUSAT
Director Sportiv: Stefania SANDU
Membri: Ioana BOGZA
Florin BOCA
Catalin BUCUR
Vladimir PRICA
Mihai DRETCANU
Daniel MUNTEANU
Catalin VLADUT
Dan STOICA
Daniela SANDU
Radu DUMITRU

Karate history

The attractiveness of karate is due to the fact that practicing this kind of combat sports are
available for various categories of the population, satisfying their interests and needs for physical
activity, physical, intellectual and spiritual improvement, without any restrictions on gender, age
and religious characteristics. In addition, the practice of karate is of great practical
importance. These and other factors allow millions of people in the world to systematically
practice karate for many years and after the end of their sports career.
Sports competitions in karate are held in two types of competitive disciplines: kata (and kata
group) and kumite (weight categories, team competitions). Kata are strictly regulated exercises,
which are combinations of defense and attack techniques, performed along certain trajectories,
in a precisely established sequence and imitating a real fight with several opponents, from which
the kata performer conditionally emerges as the winner. Each kata has its own name or number.
Kumite is a sports fight between two opponents using the technical and tactical arsenal of karate,
permitted by the official rules of competition in the sport of "karate".
Individual and team kata and kumite competitions are held between opponents of the same
gender.
Initially, karate was a system of hand-to-hand combat without weapons, which developed on the
island of Okinawa from the 15th century, and in Japan from the beginning of the 20th
century. The formation of karate as a type of combat sports fell on the 50s of the XX century. In
the early 60s, national karate federations were created in a number of countries in Asia, Europe
and America. In November 1965, the European Karate Union (EKU) was formed, and in May
1966 in Paris, the first European Karate Championship was held, which then becomes annual. In
the summer of 1970, the World Union of Karate Organizations (WUKO) was established in Paris,
and in October of the same year, the first world championship in men's only karate in the
absolute weight category up to one Ippon (Shobu Ippon) and team competitions was held in
Tokyo.
Since 1980, world championships have been regularly held every two years. Their program is
radically expanding: personal kumite competitions for men are added in weight categories: up to
60 kg, up to 65 kg, up to 70 kg, up to 75 kg, up to 80 kg and over 80 kg, as well as personal kata
competitions among men and women ... Since 1982, individual kumite competitions among
women have been held in three weight categories: up to 53 kg, up to 60 kg and over 60 kg. At
the VIII World Championships in 1986, team kata competitions for men and women are added. In
1988, the championship program includes kumite competitions in the absolute weight category
among men up to three Ippons (Shobu Sambon). In 1992, due to high injuries, the last time was
held a kumite competition among men in the absolute weight category up to one Ippon, and team
competitions in kumite among women and in an open weight category among men began to be
held. The next change in the championship program took place in 1996, with the beginning of the
kumite competition in the open weight category among women.
At the XX World Championships in 2010, the program of individual kumite competitions is
undergoing significant changes. Competitions in the open weight category among men and
women are abolished. New weight categories are being introduced. For men: up to 60 kg, up to
67 kg, up to 75 kg, up to 84 kg and over 84 kg; in women: up to 50 kg, up to 55 kg, up to 61 kg,
up to 68 kg and over 68 kg.
The first steps towards the inclusion of karate in the program of the Olympic Games began to be
taken by the leadership of WUKO in the first half of the 80s of the XX century. As a result, on
June 6, 1985, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes karate as a sport, and
WUKO is the only organization developing it in the world. But in July 1992, due to disagreements
between the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF) and WUKO, recognition was
temporarily withdrawn. Since, according to the Olympic Charter, the IOC recognizes only one
organization in the world developing any kind of sport, it demanded the unification of WUKO and
ITKF. The WUKO management agreed to this requirement and after consulting the ITKF in 1993
at the WUKO Congress in Algeria, a decision was made to unite the two organizations, resulting
in the creation of the World Karate Federation (WKF). But then the ITKF leadership began to
impede further steps towards unification, thereby refusing to comply with the IOC requirements
and significantly slowed down the decision of the issue of admission to the Olympic
movement. In 1999, the IOC regained its recognition of the WKF as the only international
federation authorized to represent karate in the Olympic movement.
From that moment on, active steps began to be taken to include karate in the program of the
Olympic Games. In 2015, karate was presented at the First European Games, and in 2016 the
IOC included karate in the program of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad 2020 in Tokyo (Japan).
Currently, the World Karate Federation (WKF) members are 191 national federations that
develop karate on the territory of their states, which unite more than 100 million children and
adults involved in various schools and styles of karate in the world. Today WKF is the most
massive union of martial artists.

History of karate in Russia

In the USSR, the first separate sections appeared at the end of the 60s of the XX century in
Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev and other large cities of the state. In the 70s, the popularity of karate
among the population of the country acquires an avalanche-like character. In order to organize
and exercise control over this process, on the initiative of the USSR Sports Committee, in
December 1978, the USSR Karate Federation and the Federation of the Union Republics were
created. Regional, regional, city and district karate organizations are formed everywhere. But, in
the prevailing socio-economic conditions of that time, the state does not finance the development
of karate, classes in sections are allowed to be carried out only on the principles of self-
sufficiency. Two all-Union competitions and three USSR championships, championships among
juniors, several all-Union coaching seminars are held. But in 1984, for ideological reasons,
After the ban on karate classes in the USSR was lifted in 1989, which completely destroyed the
entire structure of training in this sport in the country, it took several years to carry out
organizational measures to establish karate federations of various levels (from urban to all-
Union), recreate the material base and establish training work in the field, restoration of the
competition system, etc.
In 1990, the USSR Karate Federation was re-established, which entered the WUKO and the
USSR national team took part in the 10th World Championship in Mexico for the first and last
time, where, for obvious reasons, it was unsuccessful. After the collapse of the USSR, the
collective member of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and its founder, the All-Russian
Karate-do Federation (VFK), headed by Yu.L. Orlov. In 1992, the WFK, having become a
member of WUKO, for the first time takes part in the XI World Championship (WCH) in Granada
(Spain). Having no previous experience of performing in official international competitions, not
having information about the current trends in the development of karate in the world, the
Russian national team did not have medals at this and at the next, in 1994, XII World
Championships in Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) ...
This plan gave a result in 1996 at the XIII World Cup in Sun City (South Africa), where Aslan
Gubashiev from KBR (coach S. Krivakovsky) took 1st place in the weight category (wc) up to 70
kg, and Andrey Anikin from Novosibirsk (trainers Pak V. and Popov S.) - 2nd place in V.K. St. 80
kg. This allowed Russia to reach the 5th overall team place among the 19 countries that won
medals, leaving ahead only the long-term leaders of world karate at that time: Japan, France,
Great Britain and Spain.
At the XIV World Championships in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1998 and the XV World
Championships in Munich (Germany) in 2000, the Russian national team does not perform well
enough, entering the first ten ranking places in some types of the competition program, but not
having taken a single prize.
In 1999, the WKF holds the First World Championship among cadets and juniors in Sofia
(Bulgaria), where the Russian team takes 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in personal and 1st place in
team kumite competitions.
As a result of the reorganization carried out by the State Committee for Sports in 2002, the
National Karate Federation (NFK), headed by the Minister of Emergency Situations
S.K. Shoigu. At the 16th World Cup held in the same year in Madrid (Spain), Alexander Gerunov
from Togliatti (coach V. Kokshin) took 2nd place in the international competition. St. 80 kg.
Two years later, in 2004, NFK ceased its activities and the Russian Karate Federation was
created.
This year the Russian national team performs very well: at the XVII World Cup in Monterrey
(Mexico) A. Gerunov takes the 1st place in the century. St. 80 kg, Kalashnikov Y. - 3rd place in
the city. up to 60 kg, S. Shakhrutdinov - 3rd place in v.k. up to 70 kg and the men's kumite team
for the first time takes 3rd place, which allows Russia to reach the 8th overall team place among
24 countries that have won medals. In the same year, at the European Championship, held in
Moscow, in individual competitions the athletes of the Russian national team won three silver
medals and two bronze medals, and the men's kumite team took 1st place.
At the XVIII World Cup in Tampere (Finland) in 2006, the Russian team does not perform
effectively, without winning a single prize, 2 athletes take 5-6 places and 3-7-8 places.
Since 2007, the most successful performance of the Russian national team, for the entire period
of its participation in the world championships, was at the XIX World Cup in Tokyo in 2008. Maria
Sobol from Vladikavkaz (coach B. Kantemirov) won the 1st place in the world championship. up
to 60 kg, I. Eldarushev from Novosibirsk - 2nd place in v.k. up to 80 kg, E. Ponomareva from
Moscow - 3rd place in v.k. up to 53 kg and E. Podborodnikova from Tomsk - 3rd place in the
city. St. 60 kg. These results allowed Russia to share 5-6 team places with Turkey among 25
countries that won medals, leaving behind only the teams of Japan, France, Italy and Azerbaijan,
leaving behind the teams of Spain, USA and Germany.
Then, in the results of the performances of the Russian national team at the world
championships, there is a decline: at the 2010 World Cup I. Eldarushev takes 3rd place in the
world championship. up to 84 kg., E. Ponomareva - 5th place in v.k. up to 50 g. At the 2012
World Cup, not a single prize place was taken (I. Sherozia - 5th place), and at the 2014 World
Cup, E. Plakhutin takes 3rd place in v.k. up to 60 kg. At the XXIII World Cup in Linz (Austria) in
2016, the Russian national team was left without awards.
2018 and the World Cup in Madrid delighted the Russians much more. At the tournament, which
brought together more than 1200 athletes from 140 countries and with the highest level of
competition, the national team, renewed after the Russian Cup, fought 5 times in the "bronze"
finals, and V. Isaeva in the v.k. up to 68 kg was able to get a silver medal for the country.

Karate in Russia today

Currently, karate is cultivated in most regions of the Russian Federation. FKR members are 70
regional karate federations. 58 of them are accredited. In 3 regions "karate" is a basic sport
(Novosibirsk region, Republic of Crimea, Chelyabinsk region). In 71 regions of the Russian
Federation, there are 332 karate departments in organizations that carry out sports training.
Karate is most fully represented in the Central, Ural and Volga Federal Districts of the Russian
Federation. Based on the materials of federal statistical observation (form FC-1 "Information
about physical culture and sports"), it is possible to assess the number of athletes involved in
karate, their qualifications, competitive activity and effectiveness, the number of full-time coaches
who provide the process of sports training, and other information.
The analysis of the indicators of the development of karate in the federal districts of the Russian
Federation gives grounds to draw the following conclusions:
- the total number of those who go in for sports training in karate in the federal district shows the
level of development of karate in this district. According to this indicator, the leaders are the
Central Federal District (6501 people), the Ural Federal District (5829 people) and the Volga
Federal District (4910 people). Further there are the Southern Federal District (3919 people), the
North Caucasian Federal District (3449 people), the Siberian Federal District (3290 people), the
Northwestern Federal District (1945 people) and the Far Eastern Federal District (1611 people);
- among the regions in terms of the number of people involved in karate, the leading position is
occupied by the Rostov region (2316 people), the Sverdlovsk region (2125 people), the Moscow
region (2058 people), the Chelyabinsk region (1762 people), the Republic of Dagestan (1290
people), the Republic of Tatarstan (1064 people) ) and the city of Moscow (1,056 people).
One of the complex indicators of the development of karate in a particular region is the
recognition of karate as a basic sport on the territory of the region. So far, there are only two
such regions in Russia - the Novosibirsk region and the Republic of Crimea. It is necessary to
expand the list of the number of territories of the Russian Federation for which karate should be a
basic sport. These can be in the Central Federal District - the Moscow Region and the city of
Moscow, in the Southern Federal District - the Rostov Region, the Ural Federal District - the
Sverdlovsk Region and the Chelyabinsk Region, in the North Federal District - the Republic of
Dagestan and in the Volga Federal District - the Republic of Tatarstan.
In a number of regions of the Russian Federation, there are no karate departments in
organizations that carry out sports training. These are the Trans-Baikal Territory, Kamchatka
Territory, Kirov Region, Kostroma Region, Kursk Region, Magadan Territory, Nenets
Autonomous Okrug, Altai Republic, Mari El Republic, Republic of Mordovia, Republic of Sakha
(Yakutia), St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk Territory, Chukotka autonomous region.
The total number of trainers in organizations that carry out sports training in karate in the federal
district testifies to the personnel potential that contributes to the development of karate in this
district. According to this indicator, the leaders are also the Central Federal District (191 coaches,
of which 138 are full-time), the Ural Federal District (123 coaches, of which 95 are full-time) and
the Volga Federal District (121 coaches, of which 88 are full-time). This is followed by: the North
Caucasian Federal District (106 coaches, of which 95 are full-time), the Siberian Federal District
(94 coaches, of which 85 are full-time), the Southern Federal District (89 coaches, of which 52
are full-time), the North-West the federal district (47 coaches, of which 28 are full-time) and the
Far Eastern Federal District (43 coaches, of which 36 are full-time). This data shows
Structure

The ROYAL SPANISH FEDERATION OF KARATE and ASSOCIATED DISCIPLINES hereinafter RFEK and DA, is a private, non-
profit associative entity with legal personality and full capacity to act for the fulfillment of its purposes and with its own heritage and
independent of that of its associates .

In addition to its own powers, it exercises by delegation public functions of an administrative nature, acting in this case as a
collaborating agent of the public administration.

Its domicile is in Madrid, at calle Vicente Muzas 4 Entreplanta 28043 Madrid, being able to make the change of domicile within
the same municipal term by agreement of the Delegate Commission at the proposal of the President.

The RFEK and DA is a Public Utility Entity, which entails the recognition of the benefits that the Legal System grants generally to
such entities, and more specifically to those recognized to them in the Sports Law.

The RFEK and DA do not admit any type of discrimination, by itself or by its members, for reasons of birth, race, sex, opinion or
any other personal or social conditions or circumstances.

The RFEK and DA is made up of duly recognized Autonomous Sports Federations, sports clubs, athletes, technicians and
referees and its purpose is the promotion, organization and development of Karate and its Associated Disciplines.

They are also part of the federative organization, the leaders and, in general, how many natural or legal persons, or entities,
promote, practice or contribute to the development of the sport of Karate, adapted karate and associated disciplines.

Within said Federation, and without prejudice to the recognition of their own identity, the following Associated Disciplines
are embraced and understood:

KENPO, KUNG FU and NIHON TAI JITSU.

The scope of action of the RFEK and DA, in the development of the competences that are proper to the defense and promotion
of federated sport at a state level, extends to the whole of the national territory, and its territorial organization will be adjusted to that
of the State in Autonomous communities.

The RFEK and DA are governed by the provisions of the Sports Law 10/1990 of October 15, by Royal Decree 1835/91, of
December 20 of Spanish Sports Federations and provisions that are applicable to them and by these Statutes and regulations
develop them.

The RFEK and DA, in addition to its own activity of government, administration, management, organization and regulation of
the sports specialties it covers, exercises the following public functions of an administrative nature under the coordination and
supervision of the Higher Sports Council.

1. Qualify and organize, where appropriate, official activities at the state level. For these purposes, the organization of
such competitions is understood to refer to the regulation of the general framework of the same, as established in the
corresponding federative regulations.

b) Act in coordination with the Autonomous Federations for the general promotion of sports Karate and its Associated
Disciplines throughout the territory of the State.

c) Design, prepare and execute, in collaboration with the Autonomous Federations, the preparation plans for high-
level athletes.

d) Collaborate with the State Administration and that of the Autonomous Communities in the training of sports
technicians.

e) Collaborate with the State Administration and that of the Autonomous Communities in the prevention, control and
repression of the use of prohibited substances and pharmacological groups and non-regulatory methods in sport.

f) Organize, coordinate and supervise the official activities of an international nature that are held in the territory of the
State.
 g) Exercise the sports disciplinary power, in the terms established in the Sports Law, its specific development provisions
and its Statutes and regulations.

h) To exercise control of the subsidies assigned to sports associations and entities under the conditions established by the
Higher Sports Council.

i) Execute, where appropriate, the resolutions of the Administrative Court of Sports.

The RFEK and DA, performs with respect to its associates, the functions of guardianship, control and supervision
recognized by the sports legal system.

The acts carried out by the RFEK and DA, in the exercise of public functions of an administrative nature, are subject to appeal to
the Superior Sports Council, whose resolutions exhaust the administrative route.

Corresponds to the RFEK and DA, as their own activity, the government, administration, management, organization and
regulation of Karate and DA. By virtue of it, it is proper to it:

a) To hold the representation of the European Karate Federation (EKF) and the World Karate Federation (WKF) in Spain.

b) Train, title and qualify the referees, judges and technicians in the scope of their powers.

c) Hire the personnel necessary to carry out their functions and provide their services.

d) Promote and organize sports activities aimed at the public.

e) To ensure compliance with the provisions by which it is governed.

f) In general, all activities that do not oppose, impair or destroy its corporate purpose.

For the qualification of official activities at the state level, the RFEK and DA must take into account, among others, the following
criteria:

a) Technical level of the activity.

b) Importance of it in the state sports context.

c) Organizational capacity and experience of the promoting entity.

d) Tradition of the activity.

e) Transcendence of the results for the purposes of participation in international activities.

In order to be classified as such, official activities at the state level must necessarily be open to all athletes and sports clubs of
the different Autonomous Communities, not including discrimination of any kind, except for those derived from technical conditions of
a sports nature.

All participants in official activities must be in possession of a national sports license that allows such participation.

Notwithstanding what is stated in point 2 of this article, the following are official activities of the RFEK and DA:

a) Championships of Spain, or those others that could be included by the General Assembly in the official calendar of the
RFEK and DA

b) Black Belt Exams.

c) Teaching qualification courses.

d) Official Activities of the EKF.

e) Official Activities of the WKF.

The RFEK and DA is the only competent entity within the entire Spanish State for the organization, guardianship and control of
activities that qualify as official.

For official activities held within the Spanish State, the following definitions are established:
 a) State-level activity. This is the name given to any activity whose geographical scope of development transcends the
territorial limits of a Spanish Autonomous Community, and allows the participation in it of all athletes in possession of the updated
national license issued by the RFEK and DA.

This same name will receive the activity that has a geographical scope of development circumscribed to the territorial limits of the
Spanish State and allows the participation in it of athletes from two or more autonomous federations provided with an updated
license issued by the RFEK and DA.

b) Official activity of international scope. Any activity that allows the joint participation in it of athletes with a license of a
nationality other than that of the Spanish State will be called this way.

For an Activity to be considered Official (state-wide), it must be classified as such and included in the annual Sports Calendar
prepared by the Delegate Committee of the Assembly and all this must be ratified in the plenary meeting of the same.

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION

At the international level, the RFEK and DA is a full member of the following Organizations:

a) The European Karate Federation. EKF

b) The World Karate Federation. WKF.

c) Likewise, it will represent its Associated Disciplines before the respective International Federations, or, failing that,
representative International Organizations. In the event of any new affiliation to an International Organization, it must be submitted to
the corresponding authorization of the Higher Sports Council.

The RFEK and DA will represent Spain in official international sports activities, held outside and within Spanish territory. For
these purposes, the election of the athletes who have to integrate the national teams will be the exclusive competence of the same.

In order to organize, request or commit this type of activities, the RFEK and DA must obtain authorization from the Higher Sports
Council, according to its regime, the regulation on International Sports Activities and Representations.

Instruction Social media

The Swedish Karate Association is built around the core values and values of karate, but
without people who bring them to life, they remain just words. With social media, we can
make our voices heard online - a significant potential to strengthen the Karate brand and
something we should take advantage of! At SKF, we are therefore positive about talking
about ourselves and about Karate in social media, provided that you as a union
representative follow the policy that applies. SKF and its representatives include
employees, elected representatives, committees, persons officially appointed by the
association, national team members, leaders and other persons who hold roles within
SKF.

Routines for media monitoring

The association's central board and chancellery have the ultimate
responsibility for responding to the media and handling media coverage of
various kinds when it comes to issues related to the association's activities.
When the association and its elected representatives, including district representatives,
are contacted by the media on various issues concerning SKF's activities, reference
should primarily always be made to the association's general secretary, who is
responsible for PR and handles the division of responsibilities among experts.
If an association or individual member is contacted by the media on various karate-
related issues, you are always welcome to contact the office for support and help.
Other information includes e.g. to coordinate media coverage, at championships where
national teams participate, as well as central federal events. For other requests for media
coverage, organizers are welcome to contact the office and get advice, tips and support
if possible.

 Board minutes
 Organisation
 PR & Marketing
o Communication policy
o Instruction Social media
o Routines for media monitoring
o Printed matter templates
 Control document
 Special District Association
 Committees
 Nomination Committee
 Auditors
 The General Meeting
 Chairman through the ages
 Scholarships & Awards
 Document
 EM 2021
HOME / ASSOCIATION / PR & MARKET / PRINTED MATTER TEMPLATES

Printed matter templates

We know that not all clubs have help with making flyers. We have therefore developed
these templates, which are interactive PDF files in A3 format with print quality. *
If you want smaller sizes, such as A4, adjust it in your printer settings.
Do this:

 Choose a poster below. When you click on it, there is an interactive field below
the image that activates when you click.
 Enter your club info and any text in the box.

You can then choose to click the print icon, or right-click and select Print, to print a
number directly on a printer without saving the file.
How you save with your text filled in may differ depending on your software
and browser. Here are some common options:
Alt 1 . Select Save a copy. In the next dialog box, select Print Form, then Adobe PDF as
the printer option and place the file in any folder for later use.
Alt 2 . Select Print as Adobe PDF and save to any folder.
Alt 3 . Select Save As to any folder.
START TRAIN KARATE

Policy for the association's name and logo

SKF Logo can be ordered from the Federal Chancellery. Below are the current
guidelines for use.

 The Swedish Karate Association's member associations have permission to

use the association's logo on the association's websites, stationery, bulletins
and other printed material that reproduces or markets the association's
activities. This in combination with the text "Members of" placed above or in
front of the logo.

 SKF bodies within the union, such as union management, committees, working
committees and district unions, may use the logo in correspondence, printed
matter, digital channels and other things that describe, market or reproduce
the business.

 No player other than SKF may use the association's name or logo as an
individual mark for marketing or sales of products or services.

 As a matter of principle, an individual may not use the association's name and
logo. Permission for exemption from this can only be obtained on request from
the SKF office.
  The association's name and logo may not be used in connection with
competing or illegal activities. It may also not be used or placed in such a way,
which may be perceived as offensive or inappropriate in accordance with the
association's other guidelines and statutes.

 The logo must be reproduced correctly when color is reproduced. Information

on this can be obtained from the Federal Chancellery.

The four corner stones of respect

23 NOV 2018 16:13

Reflections about why we need to keep the respect alive.

 Fler
 Uppdaterad: 23 NOV 2018 16:13

I fell in love with Karate for many reasons. The techniques, the physical
challenge, the camaraderie in the club and the opportunity to experience
personal growth and always learning new things.
But it´s become my life-long companion because of respect.
Respect, which in Japanese is expressed through the word Rei, is something we all want
and need.
You may not always understand the need yourself, it can be subtle and hidden, but when
someone treats you in a way that you feel a knot in your stomach and you can´t quite
determine why, it´s almost always because they´ve shown you a lack of respect.
To be treated with respect is a basal need, just like the need of feeling safe and loved,
and just as complicated. People differ in how much they need to feel good. Some crave
more, some less.
But respect is also something to be earned. Some demand respect in such extent that
they try to force it, gain respect through threats, violence and by being oppressive. In
that case, something, somewhere, has gone wrong and in my experience it´s almost
always a question about low self-esteem.
Yes, in the three letters of the word Rei, you can find a big complex world where pretty
much all of us are trying to find our way.
And this is why Karate deserves attention.
Karate, and other Budo-related martial arts, are unique because respect is a natural part
of its structure. Those who doesn´t comprehend how to properly show respect will learn
what it means and the ones that deserve and are in need of it, will have an environment
to feel comfortable and thrive in.
Karate has through its history cultivated respect as an art form all by itself and follows it
as a bright North star.
I wrote in a previous article, that if everyone practiced karate we would have world
peace, which I still believe in, because it´s mainly lack of respect towards others that
creates conflict.
People will always have different opinions and perspectives, but as long as you respect
that fact and others personal space, the basic need of respect will be filled.
But how should we then actually go about it?
A bit simplified, I´ve interpreted four cornerstones within the world of Karate. However,
most of it I believe can easily be translated to everyday life for anyone.
Respect the Dojo
The place of practice is your temple. It doesn´t matter if it´s a worn down city basement
or a Japanese pagoda with polished wooden floors. The Dojo is regardless a spiritual
place, existing for you to evolve in, body and soul. There you leave the outer world and
your everyday life behind and focus on the task at hand, - your training.
You show respect for the room and its purpose, take care of it and comply with Dojo Kun.
We bow symbolically when we come and go, to show gratitude and appreciation that we
have a place where we are welcome, which also lets us leave a bit wiser than when we
came.

Respect your Sensei

Your Sensei puts in an immense amount of time teaching others, often on a non-profit
basis. Like a fountain of knowledge that´s been dedicating a lifetime to hard training,
acquiring a skill set that you now have been fortunate enough to have access to.
The good will from your leader to share knowledge and experience with you, should
result that you in return show the will to listen, humbly follow instructions, show
appreciation and act polite.

Respect your surroundings

Karate is primarily a martial art focused on self-defence. We learn things that when used
correctly can save lives and when used wrong will cause unnecessary damage. And when
you´re tough you need to be gentle and when you are big you need to be kind.
Respecting our surroundings are key in a well functioning society. But of course, not
everything is about not walking around and punching people in the face whenever you
please.
The philosophy of Budo is closely associated to Bushido, the codes of honour and ideals
for the samurai way of life, in which you (in short) through training strive to be a person
with high morals, integrity, patience and wisdom. It should permeate and be a constant
presence in your way of life.
And how then should this be implemented in modern times, you may wonder?
For me, in my way of life, it means primarily this:

 Never knowingly hurt others, nor physically or mentally. Same goes for
showing care for nature and things around you.
 Listen and observe; pay attention to the surrounding world and adapt to
create de best conditions possible for a positive atmosphere.
 Be humble and treat others with kindness, politeness and patience.
 Respect the time and life situations of others; remember that almost everyone
has a history or troubles you don´t know anything about.
 Show moral courage. Stand up for those who need it.

I try to keep these five guidelines in mind where ever I go and remind myself of them
when I´m having a bad day. No one is perfect and we all show lack of respect sometimes,
but at least you will have something to hold on to when you need to reboot and start
over.
”But if they don´t show ME respect, then what?” It doesn´t matter. It´s YOU,
through YOUR actions, that should strive to be a better person. As karateka you should
set good examples for others, not judge them.
If you encounter people that doesn´t show you respect in return, just let them pass
through your life and don´t waste your breath.
Respect yourself
Respect your body and mind.
Karate is not just a sport but a martial art. As any other art form it takes a long time
before you can call yourself an expert and there is no finish line. You have to respect the
fact that it takes a long time to learn and you have to repeat things a thousand times and
more. Accept that you need training, patience and don´t forget to breathe. Sometimes
you make mistakes or need to ask for help, and that´s fine.
It doesn´t mean that your bad or stupid. You just need to humbly understand that your
strength lies not in being perfect but in you willingness to strive for it. And I think that
goes for all parts of life. There is no quick fix or shortcut, just your own goal to constantly
try to be a better person.
So let it take its time and take care of yourself meanwhile.
______________________________________________________
So why do i write this article now?
Well, because lately I´ve noticed that we might need a reminder.
Karate has quickly evolved as a competition sport. And competition is a way to try out
what you learned against likeminded opponents. It´s a positive thing, where you can test
your skills in another setting than the dojo and where media, audience and others can
see and experience karate. Which is good for us as a community.
But a negative phenomenon has started to show its ugly face – disrespect.
I´ve seen, in several cases, that groups attending competitions have been behaving very
badly. Shouting insults, curses, and using defamatory language towards the opponent
instead of cheering on their own competitor. Also urging their own to cause excessive
damage and even threaten referees. Quite opposite the spirit of karate and totally
unacceptable. This is practitioners, coaches and people in the audience alike. They´re
not many, but they are loud, and they´re giving us a bad name we don´t deserve.
We are karatekas, not hooligans.

Since competition is an extension of what we learn in the dojo, not an isolated event, I
have to wonder. In the groups tolerating this behavior, what happened to teaching the
way of Budo? To Dojo Kun? Respecting your surroundings? And how is the respect for
your own person, when you are making a fool of yourself, shouting and acting like an
imbecill?
If you choose to behave this way, I´m embarassed for you.
Even if some of these cases are about people in the audience, they should by pure
association with the club they are there to cheer for, have been informed how you should
act and not. Otherwise there´s a serious lack of communication that need to be
amended.
My work in a National Karate Federation gives me some administrative tools to try to
discourage this type of behavior, rule and regulations. But for all our sakes, we need to
come together as a community and try to stop it, when it´s actually ongoing. We can´t
let it pass and make it a normality, not in the arena, in the dojo or in general society.
So if there is anything I would like you to remember from this text, it´s the importance of
showing moral courage and standing up for what is right. Namely to be respectful. Let
your voice be heard, teach what respect is all about and let us together strive a little
every day to make this world a better place.
And to finish up, here is my favourite Japanese proverb which I try to live by:
“Nana korobi ya oki". (Google it :))
Thank you for your attention!
Written by:
Sarah Wennerström Cedercrona
General Secretary, Swedish Karate Federation

Photo: Christer Hagman

Open letter to the media from the Swedish

Karate Association
02 DEC 2015 09:23

It is common for the name of our sport - Karate, to be used in connection with
text and headlines where violence-related news is reflected. We believe that
this is an abuse of the name. The Swedish Karate Association hereby appeals
to all media and journalists who are considering using "karate" in their heading
to do so in the future with caution, greater understanding and with more
respect for our athletes.

 More
 Created: 02 DEC 2015 09:23

In the event that it is not demonstrably possible to determine whether the

perpetrator is a karate practitioner, there is no evidence to use terms such as
"karate kicks", "karateman" and similar language. It brings stamps to our sport
with wrong associations.
Karate is a sport with a high technical level of training. There are a plethora of different
variants of leg techniques and "karate kick" is not in itself a concept. There are also a
plethora of other sports where kicks are used and we consider it highly unfortunate that
the media in this case chooses to adopt the prejudiced attitude towards karate in the
writing of articles and news. It indicates ignorance and generic thinking.
We have added value in our sport that is overshadowed by the focus that seems to be on
creating the most attention. Added value such as showing respect and humility towards
each other and the world around us, that everyone should have the opportunity to
participate and be treated equally, the social community, to provide tools and mental
training that provides benefits in your everyday life, that we learn self-defense that can
actually save lives in a vulnerable situation. In Karate we call it the Budo spirit. The basic
thesis of this is that even if we train the way we do, our main goal is to never have to use
force.
It is therefore highly unfortunate that the media chooses to headline in such a way that it
sends the wrong signals to the outside world. You diminish the value of a long-standing
sport with about 20,000 practitioners in Sweden, a large part of whom today are
children. For example, should these children need to come to school and not dare to tell
about what sport they practice because the headline in the newspaper the day before
labels karate as something criminal and reprehensible?

With the hope of increased consideration and for your continued

understanding, here is a summary of karate as a sport:

 Karate is a Budo art, ie. we have a long history linked to ancient Japan, where
Karate in addition to the sports perspective is also a way of embracing and a
set of guidelines you have to help in all aspects of life, not just in the dojo
(gym). The philosophy is basically explained by the budout practitioner
through training "to become a nobler person, with both pride and a high sense
of morality". Our keywords are respect, for the outside world and your fellow
human beings, discipline and humility. Karate is educational and a sport
where you can learn and train all your life. Today we have active practitioners
between 4-5 years up to 85. Karate in its original form emerged as a training
method to strengthen the weak and our foundation is still self-defense.

 Karate is one of the sports with the highest integration factor and a large part
of our practitioners have other origins than Sweden. Our training language is
Japanese and exceeds language barriers.

 Karate is an equal sport. Women / men, boys / girls train together and the
same things.

 Karate is a socio-economically beneficial sport. The fees are low compared to

most other sports and it does not require expensive equipment, we train
e.g. barefoot and a training suit, Gi, lasts for several years.

 In Swedish karate, there is no elite topping and consequent exclusion at a

young age.

 In the physical practice of karate, the whole body is trained, through exercises
in strength, agility, coordination, balance and learning self-defense
techniques. There are very few injuries in Karate and you can start at any time
regardless of age.
  Competitions are conducted with the aim of getting points for well-executed
techniques and control of these. In training you learn karate as self-defense, in
competition we show what we have learned, but without intentionally harming
the opponent.

If you want to know more about karate, you are always welcome to contact us.
Sarah Wennerström
Secretary General
Dir: 08-597 604 92
sarah@swekarate.se

Letter as PDF >>

The Swedish Karate Association is a special sports association within the Swedish Sports
Association. We currently have 314 associations and about 20,000 practitioners.

KARATE
WHAT IS KARATE-DO?

The Japanese characters (kanji) for "Karate"

Japanese: the art of fencing with the empty "unarmed" hand (Kara = empty, naked, unarmed; te = hand; do = way, principle,
path, teaching, method, philosophical principle).
Japanese: the art of fencing with the empty "unarmed" hand (Kara = empty, naked, unarmed; te = hand; do = way, principle,
path, teaching, method, philosophical principle).
Kara means "empty". Kara indicates that karatedo is an art through which one can defend oneself without weapons (with
empty hands). In a philosophical sense it refers to the fact that the karateka has to “empty” himself of all egoistic and selfish
thoughts, since he can only understand what he is receiving with a clear mind.
Karatedo ( specialist literature karate ) is the fine art of unarmed combat and an excellent system for achieving above-
average fitness and body control. It is ideally suited to counteract daily stress. Regular training promotes health, the
suppleness of the body and leads to active-positive thinking. Hands, feet, knees and elbows develop into dangerous weapons
with which one can effectively defend oneself and others in emergency situations.
The inner values can only be experienced through years of training. Everyone gains exactly as much from Karatedo as he
spends on time for reflection ( Budo specialist literature ) and for physical training.
Karatedo is suitable for everyone, for women and men of all ages. That was one of the main concerns of the founders. The
old masters attached great importance to the knowledge that Karatedo is a way to train the body and mind for a
lifetime. Link German Karate Association DKV
KARATEDO IS LIKE A TREE
A solid trunk,
(tradition / technology / health) strong roots, (anchoring in the origin / connection to real life and everyday life) different
branches, (kata / duel / sport / children / seniors / self-defense / art) green leaves (around the light to absorb knowledge /
goal of Do) and juicy fruits (to pass on what has been received)

DOJO

(Do = way, jo = place), place of awakening, originally the place where Buddha found his enlightenment, where the students
practice the way. According to a Buddhist proverb, any place can be a dojo. The whole purpose of coming together in the
dojo is to help each other learn the techniques and develop character. The exercises in the dojo help to cope with the
challenges in life. As a matter of principle, conflicts cannot be avoided, so the focus is on finding the right way of dealing
with them. The dojo is a community space where everyone engages with themselves and with other people. Be it in kumite,
in meditation or in a teaching talk. It is a place where the practitioner's energy condenses and changes. Dojo training teaches
that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.
In karatedo, integrity is an essential part. It is the ethical requirement between the values conveyed in the training such as
decency, honesty, sincerity, trust etc. and the actual role model effect, resp. one's own actions inside and outside the
dojo. Precisely because karate is primarily positioned as a martial art and not as a sport, honest and ethical practice is
expected from the dojo, its leaders and members.
REI
Greetings, bowing, decency, respect. The greeting implies that you are responsible for yourself and your partner. It is an
expression of courtesy, respect and sincerity. Upon entering the dojo, we know that there is serious work ahead of us.
MOKUSO

It can be understood as "calm thinking" in the sense of relaxation, concentration and immersion. Traditionally, mokuso is
performed at the beginning and at the end of every training session. On the one hand, it helps to free oneself from the inner
hectic that is disturbing the learning process; on the other hand it supports the processing of the recorded
information. Source: Videotron.com
BELT IN KARATEDO
The belts in Karatedo are an indispensable hierarchy pyramid that is necessary for the transmission of the teaching. The
pyramid is symbolized by a ranking system. It is divided into the Kyu systems of the students and the Dan grades of the
black belts. The young student level is the base of the pyramid. It covers all Kyu degrees and includes beginners and
advanced students. The grades up to 4th Dan take an intermediate level. They are the link between the higher graduates from
5th Dan. Regardless of what level the practitioner is at in the ranking system, his task is always to meet the demands of what
has already been achieved through an appropriate attitude, to be an example for everyone below him and to accept a
challenge towards the next higher level of progress.
Last updated: August 2, 2019

KARATE
SPIRIT OF KARATE

KARATE NI SENTE NASHI

Karate ni sente nashi - there is no first attack in karate. This principle is one of the best known in Budo literature. It
originally comes from the Japanese Bushido, where it says that a samurai must keep a controlled mind in every situation and
not draw the sword because of every provocation or trifle.
This rule reminds the practitioner of the importance of the calm and controlled mind that distinguishes the mature master
from the novice in martial arts.
In karatedo the meaning was expanded. She adapted to the more pronounced philosophical tendency of karatedo and
embodied in it the desire for peace and harmony. This is symbolically illustrated in the kata in that every first and last
technique is a defense.

LEARN “SHUHARI”, DEVIATE AND MOVE AWAY.

The real progress of a practitioner is expressed in this word. It takes place in three stages: learning, deviating and moving
away. “Shu” denotes obedience to traditional teaching. This particularly includes the correct technique. “Ha” is the second
stage and means the end of mere form learning. In the “Shu” section, the student learns the forms, in the “Ha” level he has to
question and understand them. The "Ha" stage begins when the second black belt is reached. "Ri" is the stage to the
perfection of the mind. It is the perfect mastery of inner and outer posture. Shuhari is the philosophy of the martial art
Karatedo. Like life, karatedo is a path that leads from learning to maturity, from inexperience to experience, from youth to
old age.
 DO

Principle of the Asian worldview, which comes as a term from Japanese Zen Buddhism. Do is the place where the way
(being human) is practiced. The syllable “do” expresses that it is not primarily the result that is important, but rather the
action, the path itself. Do is a path, at the center of which is an exercise (form), the goal of which is not to learn any skill, but
that Expanding the potential that has grown in a person is through which he can grow to his purpose and fill his life with
awareness and knowledge.
Dojokun Funakoshi / Dojokun Bodhidharma
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OLYMPIA
STRATEGY

SKF' S 2017-2021- PLUS STRATEGY

Online poster / structures of the athlete path in competitive sport
DEFINITION AND JUSTIFICATION OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
TARGET
The main goal is to produce athletes who achieve a national and then an international level of performance in a first
phase. The desired end product is medals at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships. To achieve this goal,
the focus is on the optimization of training processes and participation in world ranking tournamentsto lay. The athletes
can only achieve the high level of the Swiss Karate League tournaments at national and Karate1 tournaments at international
level through high-quality training. And only through carefully evaluated and suitable point tournaments can it be guaranteed
that they also receive the tournament practice necessary for their development. 2-3 wins bring valuable points and enable the
athletes to work their way up the world rankings.
TRAINING
In trainingSpecific measures are required which include the training of technical, tactical and conditional skills and abilities
and which guarantee an optimal relationship between stress (dual career) and relaxation. These requirements cannot be
achieved on the basis of 2-3 training units per week, but require a minimum quantity and training units that can be used
primarily for targeted individual training in the technical, coordinative and athletic areas. Only an adequate number of
training units enables a content-related training design that can take into account the requirement profile of modern sport
karate in terms of technical, tactical and physical fitness. An optimal training design also requires individual planning, ie
COMPETITION SYSTEMS
The national competition systems are to be designed in such a way that they guarantee the athletes sufficient tournament
practice at the highest possible level. One of the main reasons why too few karateka make the leap to the national level in the
various regional associations is that the performance differences between the tournament systems of the individual regional
associations are too great. These differences in performance must be reduced by either developing new competition systems
that are specifically geared towards the area of follow-up funding (U21) in terms of age or by attempting to improve the
level of performance by changing existing competition systems (switching from Ippon Shobu criteria to WKF criteria) to
increase.
If one focuses the promotion as the optimization of training processes and competition systems, then the dependencies of the
individual actors on one another and the need for their coordination gain significantly in importance. Funding in Swiss karate
is mainly organized on a decentralized basis, which means that the karateka spend most of their time in their dojo and are
involved in the Swiss Karate League and international tournaments (members of the national team start under the name of
national team) and only within the framework sponsored by SKF through courses and base and national squad training.
The quality, but also the motivation of the athletes, is therefore largely based on their training and promotion in the dojo by
their personal trainers, which is why optimal performance management and development can only be expected if the support
measures in the SKF (bases, national team) and the training in the dojo must be coordinated, which makes an intensive
exchange and joint training planning of the responsible dojo, base and national trainers necessary. The same applies to the
design of the competitions, which have to be coordinated in terms of time and organization.
All measures are highly dependent on the human, temporal, financial and spatial resources available.
POINTS TOURNAMENTS
In the list of points tournaments, the K1 (Premier League, Serie A) tournaments will continue to have a very high
priority. The incipient professionalization in sports karate will make this tournament series the most well-known sports brand
of the WKF. The emotions can be experienced and shared live on site, via TV broadcast or live stream. The WKF reacted to
this development and is offering more and more live sport via online channels.
The European tournaments in particular will continue to kindle the fire among athletes, coaches and the personal
environment. To be part of the best-manned tournaments in the world motivates further development and the will to be able
to keep up at the top level. The K1 tournaments are the most attractive that competitive sport has to offer.
For the junior karatekas, the tried and tested tournaments in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Croatia
will continue to be used.
A total of 24 point tournaments (2017) are available to the athletes. The following table shows the weighting.
PERSONNEL
The human resources are primarily focused on the two central actors who are crucial in the training process, namely on the
athlete and the trainer. The optimization of the training processes depends to a large extent on whether it is possible to bring
together the best karateka (talents) and the best trainers. This requires targeted screening measures with a view to the
talents when it comes to discovering the best talents at the dojo, section and national level. However, discovery alone is not
enough. Rather, the talents must also be directed to those dojo and bases where they are best promoted. However, since this
usually requires a dojo change and no dojo likes to let its best talents move in, the dojo that promote top-class sport must
enter into appropriate cooperation with partner dojo, within the framework of which such changes and thus the concentration
of top karateka at certain locations become possible. On the trainer side, too, there is a need for a wealth of specific selection,
deployment and qualification measures to ensure
TEMPORALLY
The time resourcesare required with regard to daily training as well as the longer periods of absence due to participation in
central national squad trainings and competitions. The time resources necessary for optimal performance development are
only available if the training and competition obligations can be coordinated with the non-sporting obligations. For the junior
Karateka up to the U16 category, this mainly concerns school obligations. In addition, or later, there are also obligations that
result from entering vocational training or university studies. Training units in the morning or longer absences due to courses
(tenero) or tournaments are only possible if there are certain arrangements that include training and lessons.
For this reason, it is important for the dojo that promote competitive sports to establish cooperation with schools, universities
and companies that guarantee the necessary flexibility in terms of time.
Foregoing a high school diploma, an apprenticeship or a course of study with which the time problem could easily be solved
is not an option. A sport like karate, which does not give an athlete any earning potential, is necessarily dependent on the
dual path. The recruitment phase is only guaranteed if the top-level sporting career can be reconciled with the professional
goals pursued.
In view of the enormous amount of time that a dual career entails due to the sporting and school-professional obligations, it
is essential to avoid unnecessary loss of time. This applies above all to the travel times that arise when athletes do not live
directly at the training location. Since optimal support cannot be limited to the local-regional environment, housing must be
created for non-regional athletes, which in the case of minors must also integrate educational support.
FINANCIALLY
Sufficient financial resources enable an optimization of the training and competition measures as well as the care of
karateka and the organization of all necessary areas. The establishment of full-time trainer structures results in high
personnel costs that cannot be financed on the basis of membership fees. In karate, in Switzerland, as in most countries, there
are no athletes who can make a living from competition. The trainers also secure their economic existence like a small
business owner with various forms of income.
SPATIALLY
The optimization of the training processes is ultimately also dependent on spatial resources , which on the one hand
concern hall times (Magglingen) for the national squad training, but on the other hand must also include training facilities for
athletic training. Since it must be assumed that at least the dojo have their own fitness facilities (strength and endurance
equipment), they are dependent on appropriate cooperation with commercially operated fitness studios and / or sports
medicine centers.
NORMATIVE
In addition to the operational and conceptual-strategic level, the normative level is also of central importance. The point
here is to anchor the promotion of competitive sport in the sport regulations, with a clear commitment to WKF sport karate,
of the sections. The normative level is of central importance, because the more sections, but also the dojo, declare the
improvement of the promotion of competitive sport to be their goal, the stronger the incentive for others to do the same, and
there are processes of mutual observation and performance improvement.
DOCUMENTS
Strategy 2017-2020 HP SKF
Responsibilities Trainer