World Karate Federation

The World Karate Federation (WKF) is the international governing body for the sport of karate, overseeing global competitions and promoting the development of karate worldwide.

Sport

Karate

Founded

1990 (31 years ago)

Headquarters

Madrid, Spain

Affiliations

International Olympic Committee

Summary

The World Karate Federation (WKF) is the international governing body for the sport of karate, established in 1970. Recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the WKF is responsible for overseeing and promoting karate as a sport worldwide. It organises various international competitions, including the prestigious Karate World Championships, which have been held every two years since 1970. The federation also manages regional championships, junior competitions, and other events aimed at developing karate at all levels.

The WKF has implemented standardised rules for kumite (sparring) and kata (forms), which are the two main disciplines in competitive karate. These rules ensure consistency across all competitions under its jurisdiction. The federation also plays a role in promoting karate’s inclusion in multi-sport events such as the Olympic Games, where it made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The WKF is comprised of five continental federations, representing Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. These continental bodies organise regional competitions and support the development of karate in their respective areas. Additionally, the WKF has over 190 national federations as members, reflecting its wide-reaching influence across the globe.

Beyond competitions, the WKF is dedicated to preserving the traditional aspects of karate while fostering its modern development as a sport. It aims to balance karate's deep cultural roots with its status as a global competitive discipline. The WKF works closely with national and continental federations to promote educational programmes, coaching certifications, and referee training, ensuring the sport’s growth and professionalism.

Disciplines

Kata and Kumite:
- Kata: Yes, kata is a choreographed pattern of movements, and the WKF World Championships in kata have been held since 1970.
- Kumite: This is a form of sparring, and the World Championships have been held since 1970.
Youth and Junior Championships:
- The description of Junior World Championships should be corrected. There are WKF Cadet, Junior, and U21 World Championships, but they are typically separated into appropriate age categories, and the World Championships did not have a continuous split in the exact years mentioned.
Parakarate: This is the adapted version of karate for athletes with disabilities and is officially part of the WKF programme, but some other terms like "para-kumite" may not be as commonly used in the formal WKF context.
Kobudo: Traditional weapons training, known as kobudo, is not formally governed by the WKF but is practised in some traditional karate contexts.
Karate at the Olympics: Karate was included in the Olympics for the first time at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Kumite Styles (Shobu Ippon, Shito-ryu, Shotokan, Goju-ryu, Wado-ryu): While these are recognised traditional styles, the WKF does not run separate World Championships for specific styles like Shito-ryu or Shotokan. The WKF focuses on unified rules for kumite and kata competitions.

Membership

There are five continental associations affiliated with the WKF. These associations are responsible for organising continental championships, providing support for their member federations, and communicating their interests at the WKF Board meetings.