European Karate Federation
{{short description|The governing body of sport karate}}
{{infobox Sport governing body
|name = European Karate Federation
|image = European Karate Federation logo.png
|image_border =
|size =
|caption =
|map =
|msize =
|mcaption =
| abbrev = EKF
|motto =
| founded = {{Start date and years ago|df=y|1963}}{{cite web|url=http://wkf-web.net/ekf/images/downloads/ekf_statutes_2005_eng.pdf|title=EKF Statutes Art. 1, Sec. 1|publisher=Wkf-web.net|access-date=21 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035433/http://wkf-web.net/ekf/images/downloads/ekf_statutes_2005_eng.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}
|extinction =
|type =
|purpose =
|headquarters = Madrid
|location = Europe
| jurisdiction = Europe
|membership = 52 members
| president = Antonio Espinós of Spain
|main_organ =
|budget =
| url = www.europeankaratefederation.net
|remarks =
}}
The European Karate Federation (EKF) is the governing body of competitive karate in more than 50 countries across Europe.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_V9sDAAAAMBAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_V9sDAAAAMBAJ/page/n146 31]|quote=Karate Union of Great Britain.|title=Black Belt|via=Internet Archive|date=December 2003|publisher=Active Interest Media |access-date=30 November 2014}} The EKF's stated goal is to promote, organize, regulate, and popularize the sport of karate. It is one of the five continental federations recognized by the World Karate Federation.{{cite book
| editor1-first = Ramin
| editor1-last = Kordi
| editor2-first = Nicola
| editor2-last = Maffulli
| editor3-first = Randall R.
| editor3-last = Wroble
| editor4-first = W. Angus
|display-editors = 3 | editor4-last = Wallace
| last = Arriaza
| first = Berat Jakupi
| title = Combat Sports Medicine
| chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Zwok7ECHn0wC&q=jacques+delcourt+1966+european+karate&pg=PA288
| page = 288
| chapter = Chapter 16: Karate
| date = March 2009
| isbn = 9781848003545
| access-date = 8 November 2014
}}
EKU (1966–1992) / EKF (from 1993)
History
On 31 March 1961, a karate teacher named Jacques Delcourt was elected President of the French Karate Federation (which was a member of the French Judo Federation). In 1963, he invited the six other federations in Europe to come to France for the first international karate event in history. Of the six federations - which hailed from Italy, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain - only Great Britain and Belgium accepted the invitation.{{cite book
| editor1-first = Ramin
| editor1-last = Kordi
| editor2-first = Nicola
| editor2-last = Maffulli
| editor3-first = Randall R.
| editor3-last = Wroble
| editor4-first = W. Angus
|display-editors = 3 | editor4-last = Wallace
| last = Arriaza
| first = Rafael
| title = Combat Sports Medicine
| chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Zwok7ECHn0wC&q=jacques+delcourt+1966+european+karate&pg=PA288
| page = 288
| chapter = Chapter 16: Karate ka
| date = March 2009
| isbn = 9781848003545
| access-date = 8 November 2014
}}
On 15 December 1963, the French, British, and Belgian federations gathered in Paris for the first European Karate Congress. They sought to improve and organize karate tournaments between their respective countries. The European Karate Union (Union Européenne de Karaté) was officially founded on this day.{{cite web|url=http://www.chronik-karate.de/index.php?y=1963&ereignisse=1|title=Chronik des deutschen Karateverbandes|publisher=Chronik-karate.de|access-date=21 December 2014}}
Martial artists from the three countries utilized varying styles of karate, and unifying the different styles proved difficult for the separate federations. Consequently, the delegates decided to unify the refereeing.{{cite book
| editor1-first = Ramin
| editor1-last = Kordi
| editor2-first = Nicola
| editor2-last = Maffulli
| editor3-first = Randall R.
| editor3-last = Wroble
| editor4-first = W. Angus
|display-editors = 3 | editor4-last = Wallace
| last = Arriaza
| first = Rafael
| title = Combat Sports Medicine
| chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Zwok7ECHn0wC&q=jacques+delcourt+1966+european+karate&pg=PA288
| page = 288
| chapter = Chapter 16: Karate
| date = March 2009
| isbn = 9781848003545
|access-date= 8 November 2014
}}{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/9416a20487a760a65e2e5e3ccbaeec4d|title=Sports Shorts|publisher=Apnewsarchive.com|access-date=8 November 2014}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09cDAAAAMBAJ&q=Jacques+Delcourt+karate&pg=PA38|title=AAU Rebuilds Karate|date=March 1975|access-date=7 November 2014}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_89sDAAAAMBAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_89sDAAAAMBAJ/page/n21 40]|quote=jacques delcourt 1966 european karate.|title=Black Belt|via=Internet Archive|date=December 2002|publisher=Active Interest Media |access-date=8 November 2014}}
On 24 May 1964, a governance structure for the EKU was established at the Second European Karate Congress. Jacques Delcourt was elected the first president, a position he held until 1988. At the Third Congress, on 21 November 1965, the delegates - now representing ten countries - adopted a constitutional structure, and standardized rules for instruction and rankings. They also scheduled the first European Karate Championships, to be held in Paris in May 1966.{{cite web|url=http://www.kkhd.hr/en/povijest-karatea.html|title=HISTORY OF KARATE|publisher=Kkhd.hr|access-date=21 December 2014}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_V9sDAAAAMBAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_V9sDAAAAMBAJ/page/n29 30]|quote=european karate congress.|title=Black Belt|via=Internet Archive|date=December 2003|publisher=Active Interest Media |access-date=21 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://wkf-web.net/index.php/organization/wkf-history.html|title=WORLD KARATE FEDERATION - WKF History|publisher=Wkf-web.net|access-date=21 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108021225/http://wkf-web.net/index.php/organization/wkf-history.html|archive-date=8 November 2014|url-status=dead}}
Since 1966, it has organized the European Karate Championships. Additionally, it now organizes Junior, Cadet, and Under-21 Championships(European Juniors Karate Championships).
The first Championship drew approximately 300 spectators and was broadcast live on television. The event drew criticism for being too violent, as multiple participants received facial injuries. The EKU Council offered differing opinions about the causes of the injuries, ranging from excessive rule violations to disparities in skills and conditioning. The issue of excess injuries was addressed at the EKU's first referee seminar, held in Rome in 1967.
In 1993, the EKU changed its name to the European Karate Federation. Since 1997, Spain's Antonio Espinos has served as president. He has also been the President of the World Karate Federation since 1998.{{cite web|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/09/26/world-karate-federation-president-antonio-espinos-discusses-the-olympic-dream/ |title=World Karate Federation President Antonio Espinos Discusses the Olympic Dream - Japan Real Time - WSJ |publisher=Blogs.wsj.com |date=2015-09-26 |access-date=2015-09-30}}
In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Karate Federation removed Moscow as the host of the 2023 Senior European Karate Championships, which had been scheduled to be held in Moscow.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1120317/wkf-suspends-russia-and-belarus-athletes|title=World Karate Federation suspends Russian and Belarusian athletes|date=March 9, 2022|website=www.insidethegames.biz}}{{cite web | url=https://tass.com/sport/1416661 | title=European Karate Federation cancels 2023 Senior European Championship in Russia }}
Member federations
| class="wikitable" | |||
| width=250|Europe {{cite web |url=https://www.wkf.net/structure-european-karate-federation |title=WKF National Federation |publisher=World Karate Federation}}
! width=250| ! width=250| ! width=250| | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| {{flag|Albania}} | {{flag|Andorra }} | {{flag|Armenia }} | {{flag|Austria }} |
| {{flag|Azerbaijan}} | {{flag|Belarus }} | {{flag|Belgium }} | {{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina }} |
| {{flag|Bulgaria}} | {{flag|Croatia }} | {{flag|Cyprus }} | {{flag|Czech Republic}} |
| {{flag|England}} | {{flag|Estonia }} | {{flag|Finland }} | {{flag|France }} |
| {{flag|Georgia}} | {{flag|Germany }} | {{flag|Greece }} | {{flag|Hungary }} |
| {{flag|Iceland}} | {{flag|Ireland }} | {{flag|Israel }} | {{flag|Italy }} |
| {{flag|Kosovo}} | {{flag|Latvia }} | {{flag|Liechtenstein }} | {{flag|Lithuania }} |
| {{flag|Luxembourg}} | {{flag|Malta }} | {{flag|Monaco }} | {{flag|Montenegro }} |
| {{flag|Netherlands}} | {{flag|North Macedonia }} | {{flag|Northern Ireland }} | {{flag|Norway }} |
| {{flag|Poland}} | {{flag|Portugal }} | {{flag|Moldova }} | {{flag|Romania }} |
| {{flag|Russia}} | {{flag|San Marino }} | {{flag|Scotland }} | {{flag|Serbia }} |
| {{flag|Slovakia}} | {{flag|Slovenia }} | {{flag|Spain }} | {{flag|Sweden }} |
| {{flag|Switzerland}} | {{flag|Turkey }} | {{flag|Ukraine }} | {{flag|Wales }} |
References
{{portal|Martial arts}}
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official Website}}
- [http://www.wkf.net World Karate Federation official website]
- [http://wkf.net/structure-european-karate-federation.php More than 50 Affiliated Countries]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035433/http://wkf-web.net/ekf/images/downloads/ekf_statutes_2005_eng.pdf Statutes of the EKF]
{{World Karate Federation}}
{{Sports governing bodies in Europe}}
Category:Sports organizations established in 1963