Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE World Karate Federation (WKF) is set to end the confusion on which body governs the martial art between the Zimbabwe National Karate Federation (ZNKF) and Zimbabwe Karate Union (ZKU) at its congress to be held in Dubai in November.
There has been confusion over which is the legitimate body since ZNKF broke away from ZKU last year.
But all that looks set to be settled in November as part of the WKF agenda is to vote to fully register ZNKF as a full affiliate and to disaffiliate ZKU, which is currently suspended by the world karate governing body.
ZNKF is presently operating on provisional affiliation to WKF.
ZNKF was formed last year, necessitated by the need for semi-contact members to comply with WKF statues that prohibit their affiliates from mixing semi-contact and full contact karate.
WKF revised its statutes in 2018 and prohibited affiliates from mixing semi-contact and full contact karate.
However, ZKU continues to administer both semi and full contact karate in breach of WKF rules.
During internal consultations, it was apparent that the full-contact portion of the ZKU was not bothered by the WKF amendment and did not see any need to comply, hence the birth of the ZNKF.
ZKU is now essentially a union of those practising full-contact karate belonging to one style; kyokushin karate.
But within that style, they also belong to different international kyokushin karate organisations.
On the other hand, ZNKF represents the interests of all karate styles that subscribe to WKF. — @innocentskizoe
Londile Moyo
Bongani Ndlovu