Karate representatives in Japan held a press conference in Tokyo to request the inclusion of the sport in the programme of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The event had the participation of WKF General Secretary Toshihisa Nagura and Japan Karatedo Federation president and WKF Honorary President Takashi Sasakawa.
The efforts of the World Karate Federation to achieve the incorporation of Karate in the list of additional sports in the programme of Paris 2024 was on top of the agenda of the conference. The requests to maintain Karate among the added modalities at least until the Olympic debut of the discipline in the Tokyo 2020 Games were also discussed.
“The decision which was announced by the Organising Committee of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is not understandable nor acceptable. We will continue requesting the inclusion of Karate as the fifth additional sport for Paris 2024. Additionally, we will maintain our petition to have more details about the reasons behind the exclusion, which at this time, are totally incomprehensible,” said WKF General Secretary Toshihisa Nagura after reviewing the timeline of events that derived in the decision by the Paris 2024 OCOG.
Mr. Nagura also confirmed that the WKF will persist in the negotiations with the Paris 2024 stakeholders to find a solution to the “surprising, frustrating and questionable” decision. “We will never give up,” added the Japanese Karate official.
“The exclusion of Karate of the proposal of additional sports is very disappointing for us. We will continue working hard for the inclusion,” said WKF Honorary President Takashi Sasakawa. “Nevertheless, this is not an end for us. We will never give up and we will make the utmost to put Karate where it deserves to be,” he added.
Source: www.wkf.net
