The World Karate Federation Cadet, Junior and U21 European Championships are under way in Limassol, Cyprus, but concerns over safeguarding and governance have cast a shadow over the event, with dozens of English athletes, coaches and referees barred from participating in WKF-sanctioned competitions.
A complaint submitted by the parent of an athlete to Athlete365, the International Olympic Committee’s athlete engagement platform, has raised serious concerns about the absence of a clear and effective safeguarding framework within the WKF. The complaint comes amid ongoing developments in British karate, where unresolved conflicts between national governing bodies have left athletes caught between rival organisations.
The WKF’s failure to take decisive action on safeguarding and governance issues, particularly those that have emerged in recent months in Britain, has resulted in the effective exclusion of many athletes, coaches and referees from Karate1 leagues as well as continental and world championship competitions. This has occurred at a time when the federation continues its efforts to strengthen karate’s position within the Olympic movement.
Among those who have raised concerns is Lisa Jones, the mother of Tyler, a leading young English karateka and former member of England’s youth national kata team. Following the replacement of the English Karate Federation by the newly established ENKGB, Tyler has been prevented from competing in WKF-sanctioned events. As far as Sportsin knows, in her communication with Athlete365, Jones highlighted the lack of robust safeguarding measures and called for an urgent review of what she described as a deeply troubling situation within the sport.
EKF Annual General Meeting – 2026
According to information received by Sportsin and concerns raised directly by Jones, the ENKGB has restricted the admission of athletes who maintain links with the EKF. Athletes are also reportedly required to avoid training with coaches who remain affiliated with the EKF as a condition for acceptance into the new structure.
As a result, a growing number of English athletes and referees have sought alternative routes to compete in official WKF events by registering through the karate federations of Scotland and Northern Ireland. While the federations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each pay separate annual membership fees to the WKF, none is recognised as an independent voting member. The British Karate Federation remains the only WKF-recognised body, with the four home nations operating under its authority.
EKF Annual General Meeting
Despite its exclusion from the British Karate Federation, the English Karate Federation remains the largest national karate body in Britain in terms of membership.
The federation held its first Annual General Meeting since the recent tensions within British karate on 18 January this year at the Holiday Inn in Coventry. The meeting was attended by a large number of long-standing members, where it was agreed that the EKF would continue to operate as an independent federation, maintaining its existing structure and direction.
During the meeting, representatives of clubs and associations unanimously supported the decision to change the EKF’s legal status from a limited company (Ltd) to a Community Interest Company (CIC). The move was described as a positive step towards greater transparency and broader member participation in the federation’s planning and governance.
At the same AGM, EKF president Steve Coupland reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to organising open competitions across both kyu grades and elite levels, conducted in accordance with WKF rules. He also confirmed plans for 2026 to deliver a programme of educational courses and technical seminars in kihon, kata and kumite for coaches.
