Karate Prepares to Unveil 2020 Olympic Bid Campaign

ATR) World Karate Federation president Antonio Espinos tells Around the Rings his sport's bid to join the Olympics is in better shape than the WKF's previous two attempts.

Espinos is preparing to present details of karate's Olympic bid to member federations in meetings on the sidelines of the 47th European Senior Championships in Tenerife from May 10 to 13. The campaign launch is set for SportAccord in Quebec City two weeks later when the logo will be unveiled and an exhibition stand used to promote karate's push for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics.

Espinos said he plans to touch base with IOC members, while the logo, exhibit and a new video will help raise the profile of the campaign to the 1,600-plus delegates expected to attend SportAccord.

"It's a good opportunity there," he told ATR.

Speaking about the differences of karate's third Olympic bid compared to its unsuccessful past campaigns, Espinos said: "We are spending much more resources than we were, but the theme is the same.

"We have more elements now to show how we have been developing and progressing and how we are now in even better condition than in 2009 and in 2005."

He added: "For example in the technical domain, we have been improving the rules, changing the format of our world championships.

"We are now in a position to show much better figures about TV broadcasts and incomes from sponsorship. That has allowed us to concentrate on the development programs of the World Karate Federation."

The federation continues to grow at a steady pace, now boasting 183 member nations compared to around 178 in 2009 when karate lost out to golf and rugby in its questto win a place on the Olympic roster of sports.

This time around there's only one spot available – and strong competition from seven other sports to fill it. Baseball, softball, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu are also vying to join the Olympics.

Espinos is not getting anybody's hopes up in the karate world when asked if he were more confident that the sport might be the IOC's pick at the Session in Buenos Aires in September 2013.

"We are very realistic. This time we have only one slot. It's very difficult. It's not only about how you are in condition to become an Olympic sport. We are for many years ready to be an Olympic sport and to do it with good results," he explained.

Espinos added: "We want to be humble. We don't want to create too many expectations for our membership because in the end if you do that, then it is a big problem."

Baseball and softball are still mulling a joint bid, which is awaiting feedback from the IOC. The IOC Executive Board will make a decision on whether to sanction a joint bid at its meeting in Quebec City in three weeks time. Together, the two sports would represent a formidable rival for karate and the other sports bidding for the 2020 Games.

So does he have any concerns about the two sports teaming up to pitch for 2020?

"No, we have only concerns about karate," he said diplomatically, refusing to be drawn further.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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