Objectives of KarateSport England

The object of the KarateSport England is to foster and promote all competitive forms of the Sport of Karate at all levels, providing opportunities for competition.

We wish to work in conjunction with other groups in the formation of a new governing body that supports the rules and ideals of the World Karate Federation.

Aims

To develop and implement effective and efficient systems of squad structures resulting in England regaining its status at both European and World Class level
To work towards the implementation of a strong and effective competition structure recognised by a range of governing bodies
To support associations and clubs to establish and develop capacity whilst maintaining their autonomy
To develop and represent Sport/ competitive karate in all its forms resulting in improved participation and engagement
To actively and effectively champion the sporting/competitive elements within karate to form a unified voice within policy development

Objectives- We will achieve the aims by:

Improved performance management
Developing and implementing a fair and effective, clearly defined and completely transparent selection process at national level
Development and implementation of a regional squad structure to engage with developing and achieving athletes
Promoting and raising the profile of Sport/competitive karate through a wide range of marketing approaches
Identifying and building relationships with relevant networks at local, regional and national level
Influencing the appointment of key personnel in key positions resulting in culture of empowerment
Working in partnership with outside bodies such as Sport England / CCPR/WKF/EKF/BKF to represent and raise the profile of karate
Developing integrated processes to disseminate and share information and raise awareness of our work
Regular consultation and communication with stakeholders
By being proactive

Sports Licence Applications

Application form

Organisational Structure

Directing Committee Structure
KarateSport England Competition Structure
KarateSport England Squad Structure

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Latest News

Midland Regional Open - Postponed

Dear Colleagues,
Due to the tragedy that has occurred whereby one of karate’s very key individuals Mr. Brian Philcox has taken his own life and the lives of his two children many of the people attending this event were very close to him and his family and as such feel it is inappropriate for the event to go ahead.
Many have already withdrawn their participation so it is with great reluctance that we inform you that we must postpone the karate championships and the referees course to be held this coming Saturday/ Sunday 21/22 June 2008.
We will reschedule this event in the autumn of 2008 and we will confirm the date of the event on this website.

Karate Unification - Update

The NNGBEK was formed in 2007 by Karate in England (KIE), Karate Sport England (KSE) and the English Karate Alliance (EKA). These three bodies share a common aim: to unite all English Karate Associations within a democratic and Sport England recognised and supported national governing body. It has a membership of around 70,000 Karateka and is the largest representative body in England. Its representatives have always understood the importance of dialogue with other groups - such as the English Karate Federation - and have consistently made every effort to negotiate a united approach to achieving its aims and will continue to do so.

Sport England has now held two meetings at their headquarters to provide the opportunity for Karate to come together and to enable them to support the process of establishing a new and unified National Governing Body.

The first was meeting held on the 14th December and was attended by representatives of KIE, KSE and EKA – EKF representatives were invited but were unfortunately unable to attend. This meeting was very positive and it was agreed by all present to meet in the New Year to give EKF the opportunity to be represented.

A meeting was subsequently held on the 22nd February and attended by representatives of all four groups and chaired by Perry Crimmins, Sport England Case Officer for Karate.

We saw this as a very positive development that would provide an opportunity for Karate to develop a supportive relationship with Sport England and Perry Crimmins reiterated that Sport England recognise the benefits that Karate can bring to participants of all ages. We in turn believe it is vital that a Karate Governing Body is recognised by Sport England and can become integral to future plans, particularly with the great investment in sport leading up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Following lengthy discussion, it was agreed by all present that it was essential that all four groups continued to meet with a view to achieving a unified and democratic National Governing Body as quickly as possible. Perry Crimmins stated that Sport England were prepared to fund a consultant to help the groups put together a new Karate Whole Sport Plan and suggested that the groups nominate a small number of representatives to work as a unification steering group with the consultant on this plan and this was again agreed unanimously.

Following the meeting, Perry Crimmins wrote to each group to ask for nominations to the steering group and any recommendations for the consultancy and asked that these be submitted by 1st March and KIE, KSE and EKA have responded as requested.

The three representative bodies of NNGBEK have agreed that essential services should be available to their member associations whilst they continue to work towards the development of a unified and Sport England recognised National Governing Body and full details of these member-services will be available on our new website which will be on line soon.

2008 NNGBEK Championships 09 March 2008, Nottingham

Dear Colleagues,

In our web statements prior to christmas we indicated that the NNGBEK championship would take place on 16 March 2008 unfortunately because of circumstances beyond our control this has been brought forward by a week to the 09 March.

The British Universities Games were scheduled for the same weekend and these not only include a karate event but events for 20 other sports therefore all the venues were already booked and all the hotels had no availability.

Also we would have lost some of our competitors and referees who would have been attending the British University event therefore we felt it was sensible to change the date to the 09 March 2008 and the venue to the Harvey Hadden Sports Centre, Nottingham.

Below are the entry forms and details which be download and we would ask that you distribute them to all your clubs, encouraging them to give these championships their fullest support.

We look forward to seeing you, your competitors and referees in Nottingham.

Regards,

NNGBEK Event Organisers

NNGBEK Championships Form

NNGBEK Championships Letter

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Meeting with Sport England

We informed you in our last statement that Sport England had responded positively to a call for a meeting by the sport of Karate and that this had been subsequently arranged for 14 December at Victoria House in London and would provide the opportunity for all Karate bodies to come together and enable them to support the process of establishing a new and unified Governing Body. This meeting duly took place and was attended by representatives of Karate in England (KIE), Karate Sport England (KSE) and the English Karate Alliance (EKA). Apologies were received from the English Karate Federation (EKF)

Sport England was represented by Lisa Wainwright, Head of Governing Body Services, and Perry Crimmins, Sport England Karate Client Manager. The meeting was very positive from the outset, with our representatives made very welcome and afforded every opportunity to give their views on the best way for Karate to establish this new body as quickly as practical.

We have made every effort to keep Sport England up to date with our actions over the past year or so and they were therefore aware of our proposed solution via the interim federal structure of the New National Governing Body for English Karate (NNGBEK). Following discussion, it was suggested by Sport England that we continue to develop this structure for consideration at a further meeting in January to which KIE, KSE, EKA and EKF would be invited and this was agreed by all present.

We are very fortunate and grateful to be receiving expert advice on a voluntary basis from within the Karate fraternity on key issues relating to good governance practices which are supported by an appropriate constitution and robust accounting procedures and this has clearly demonstrated the great benefits of seeking advice and help in this way. It is our intention that in time we will have a number of voluntary experts in specific key areas who can liaise with each other and any appointed paid staff and be available when required to advise and guide the officers of the new body.

Opinion will be sought from Sport England on the constitution, the new business plan and on our plans for club and instructor accreditation, all of which will be worked on for the next meeting.

It is our aim to have all the documentation in place for the next meeting with Sport England so that the new Governing Body can become fully operational in January 2008.

The Sport England representatives clearly demonstrated their great wish to see Karate back on track and a sincere willingness to help – it’s now up to us!

We therefore look forward to a fresh and very positive start for Karate in 2008 and wish you all a pleasant and restful Festive Season.

Any questions from Association representatives on the current situation may be addressed by email to john.bell.1@hotmail.co.uk.

Nb: Further details on the proposed NNGBEK Championships on Sunday 16 March 2008 (which will be open to all English Karate Associations) - will be posted as soon as they become available.

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A New National Governing Body for English Karate
Sport England Recognition

In our last web statement, we announced that Sport England had called a meeting at their headquarters to provide the opportunity for Karate to come together and enable them to support the process of establishing a new and unified Governing Body.

This is a very positive development and an opportunity to develop a supportive relationship with Sport England who recognise the benefits that Karate can bring to participants of all ages. Sport England are currently working on a new three year plan for sport and this plan will guide investment decisions and policies for sport in the run up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games. It is vital therefore that Karate has a Governing Body which is recognised by Sport England and which can become integral to these important plans.

In order for Karate to achieve recognition it must meet the Sport England criteria for the recognition of English Governing Bodies. Included in these criteria are:

Sustainability – it is required that the governing body has been established and is operating with an acceptable constitution.

Governance – Sport England require that appropriate protocols on anti-doping, child protection and equity are in place.

Membership and Participation – it is required that significant membership can be demonstrated in terms of affiliated members (Associations), club structures and participation.

In discussion with Sport England officers it has been made clear that they would look favourably on proposals for a new Governing Body which:

Is self-sustaining and would not need Sport England grant monies to operate the essential administration.
Has robust systems of instructor and club accreditation and registration.
Is seeking UKCC or equivalent status for qualified instructors.
Have ambitious plans to increase participation in Karate over the next three years.
Can address the challenges for encouraging participation in target groups such as the over 50’s.

Our Vision/Key Outcomes

In three years time there will be:

10.000 new participants
1,000 accredited clubs
1,000 Governing Body recognised instructors
Competition success at European and World level
A positive public profile for Karate
A Governing Body which is respected and has influence with Sport England, other agencies and government

Realising the Vision

To realise the vision we will need:

>A unified Governing Body which leads Karate as a whole and supports the work of associations and clubs and does not dictate to them.

>An effective governance and operating structure using volunteer and professional expertise within Karate.

>A self-sustaining financial basis for Governing Body operation.

>An expansion plan which will build on Sport England recognition and utilise partnership funding from Sport England to increase participation in Karate across the country.

Proposals

We propose that the Governing Body for English Karate be democratically elected by all those practising Karate in the country. This would entail a new audit of membership, which would update the figures produced for Karate England 2005, the previous Governing Body.
This audit would also provide the baseline for the increased membership target and importantly establish how many members belong to each association and the breakdown by age, gender and ethnicity.
This database would take some time to produce and a template would be provided and assistance given for associations to return their figures.
In the interim we propose a board be established for twelve months from January 2008. This board would be composed of representatives from the main groupings of Karate Associations in England:

Karate in England
Karate Sport England
English Karate Alliance
English Karate Federation

It is felt that the numbers of Karateka represented (approx 70K) by the first three groups who have already agreed to unify, are sufficient to justify the formation of a Governing Body which can be recognised by Sport England, but it is hoped that during 2008, the unification of all English Karate can be achieved.

Finance

To finance the operation of the new Governing Body it is proposed to ask all associations to pay a £250-£500 (according to size) annual membership and 30-50p per individual member (according to final budgetary requirements).

This income would be used to create a small office and part time staff, supported by expert volunteers from the Karate family.
All expenditure would be open to scrutiny and the budget would be set in a transparent manner. A Governing Body website would be established so that communication to associations and clubs can be quick and efficient.

Progress to date

A new constitution has been drafted and is currently being revised with the aid of a solicitor from Karate.
Financial rules and a draft budget are being prepared with the help of a financial expert from Karate.
An instructor accreditation programme is being progressed for discussion with Sport England and Sports Coach UK.
A club accreditation programme is being progressed for discussion with Sport England and Sports Coach UK.
A venue has been provisionally booked on 15/16 March for the 2008 English Championships, (16 years and over) and venues are currently being checked for either September or December (under 16s).

Your views are important

It is proposed to fully develop these outline proposals by early December prior to the 14th December meeting with Sport England.
The views and support of all English Karate associations are sought so that the most positive case possible can be made to Sport England.
Case studies showing how Karate is reaching out to all communities and all ages and abilities can be powerful evidence in making the case for Karate.
All contributions from associations showing the positive effects of Karate are welcome and ideas about how we can help new clubs to be formed to extend participation will help in the bid to obtain early recognition of a Governing Body for English Karate by Sport England.

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Karate Unification Update @ 1 November 2007

On the16 September an open meeting was held for all English Karate Associations. This meeting
was attended by members of Karate in England, Karate Sport England, the English Karate Alliance
and the English Karate Federation. The Associations present agreed unanimously that unification
of all English Karate associations was a priority and various ideas were discussed as to the best
way to achieve this.

We have kept Sport England updated on a regular basis on our efforts to involve all groups in the unification process and we are very pleased to announce that Sport England have now called a
meeting at their headquarters to, quote, “provide the opportunity for the sport to come together
and enable them to support the process of establishing a new National Governing Body”

This is a very positive development and the date of 14 December will enable representatives of
the above groups to prepare proposals to present to Sport England which will offer a unified and
sustainable structure for a new National Governing Body that Sport England could officially
recognise.

Sport England have made it very clear through their Karate Client Manager, Perry Crimmins,
that they are very keen to support the establishment of a Karate Governing Body through which
they can help us develop Karate throughout all England.

We feel that formal recognition by Sport England is vital to taking Karate forward. For existing members, it means access to funding, especially for the purpose of improving our clubs and
increasing participation. For the new participants, it will bring assurance of quality and safety
and this will satisfy the Governments targets to involve more people in physical activity and a
healthy lifestyle.

We know that once unification is achieved, we can concentrate our efforts on developing our associations, members and squads on a fully inclusive basis. Importantly, we can also begin
to supply all the necessary services and support such as officially approved certification,
documentation and accreditation and to promote a positive image to the public and the media.

Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Leo Lipinski, Abdu Shaher, Victor Charles MBE,
Molly Samuel-Leport, Brian Philcox, Joe Ellis and John Bell

- on behalf of the NNGBEK

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Dear Colleagues,

Following the meetings of the 16 September, there seems to be a small chance that an England Squad may be sent to the Junior/ Cadet World Championships in Istanbul. We will need to be ready in case we do get the go ahead to enter, as time is very short and we are proposing that any selection process must be open to all competitors across all the current groups in English Karate.

We propose that the selections will take place at the BKF championships on the 6 October 2007 in Sheffield. This is an event that all associations have had in their calendar for sometime and that the greatest majority of associations should be planning to attend.

The selections will be made by Kumite and Kata panels using the following criteria:

- the results of the competitors in their respective categories on that day.

- their recent competitive history including the KSE ranking tournaments and the EKF Southern Regional Championships.

- their international history

All the above will be taken into account and debated and a decision taken by the selection Panels which will comprise of the following invited persons who have all been involved in the national squads and the selection process.

Kumite Panel:

· Vic Charles MBE – Former National Coach

· Ian Cole – Former Assistant National Coach

· Ticky Donovan OBE – Former National Squad Director

· Wayne Otto – OBE – Former National Coach

· Molly Samuel-Leport – Former National Female Squad Coach

· Abdu Shaher – Former Performance Director

· William Thomas – Former Performance Manager

Kata Panel:

· Andy Sherry – Former Technical Chairman

· Ticky Donovan OBE – Former Technical Vice-Chairman and National Squad Director.

· Terry Pottage – WKF Kata Judge

· Nariman Jeddi - WKF Kata Judge

Each panellist will declare an interest if any competitors are to be considered from their respective association and will take no part in the selection of that particular competitor.

All competitors and coaches must be aware that if this squad is allowed to enter, the whole trip will be self–funding. The squad will only be attending for the minimum time possible, ie, 5-7 days depending on the best flight and accommodation costs available at this late stage.

Association coaches will be asked to confirm to Abdu Shaher which competitors are being put forward for selection under the above conditions. Abdu Shaher will be co-ordinating the selection process and only those competitors will be considered.

A note of caution; it is still more likely that we will not be able enter a squad, but in the current climate we must do all we can to try to be ready if we get the late call to go.

Good Luck to you all.

New National Governing Body for English Karate

World Championship Selection Form

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Karate Unification Meeting – 16 September 2007

As agreed at the last inclusive meeting of Karate associations held on the 24 June, the remaining members of the Joint Working Group presented proposals to an inaugural meeting of the new governing body on the 16 September.

The Meeting was attended and supported by associations representing approximately 75,000 Karateka in England (based on the declared and audited numbers at the formation of Karate England in November 2005).

A presentation outlining the principles for establishing a new governing body was made to the meeting by John Bell on behalf of the Joint Working Group. These principles were:

Unification of Karate through a new National Governing Body for English Karate which would have a Policy Making Council comprised of up to four representatives of each of the four main groups i.e. Karate in England, Karate Sport England, the English Karate Alliance and the English Karate Federation.

Delegation of the delivery of the appropriate areas of NGB policy by the Council to a Technical Committee and Sport Directing Committee. A limited company would be set up as a trading entity if necessary to safeguard the new governing body.

Self financing of the new governing body from affiliation fees - £500 per association

- which would be used to fund a small number of staff, an economic office base and an NGB-controlled website.

Application for recognition by Sport England

Application for membership of the European and World Karate Federations

Strong reliance on support from volunteers from within Karate who are experts in fields such as law, finance, child protection and so on.

These principles, after a lively discussion and debate, were unanimously agreed by all present.

It was suggested that the Chairman of the British Karate Federation be approached to act as mediator/arbitrator in order to arrange an early meeting between representatives of the three groups who have already agreed these principles and the representatives of the EKF. This was agreed by the meeting.

During the discussion a number of points and issues were clarified:

The EKF representatives resigned from the Joint Working Group established on the

24 June without any discussion with their colleagues. The KIE and KSE representatives did not leave the group but continued to work together.

There have been repeated attempts to engage with the EKF and have a joint approach to establishing a new NGB but with no success. The door is still open and negotiations could commence immediately so that Karate can be unified.

There is no guarantee of Sport England funding to support a new governing body, rather Sport England would welcome a self-financing governing body.

Recognition by Sport England is unlikely if Karate is not unified.

Grant aid from Sport England operates on a 2:1 ratio and will only be for a business plan or projects which increase participation in Karate.

The English Karate Alliance clarified that they are not members of WKC or WUKO and fully support the new governing body application for WKF recognition. Furthermore they agreed to make the necessary alteration to their mission statement on the website to avoid any doubts

An explanation was given in regards to the advice received from legal counsel and the Official Receivers office in relation to the prohibited use of names for the new Governing Body which are similar or that suggest association with ‘Karate England’. The official receivers office are believed to interpret ‘English’ as the same as ‘England’ and therefore ‘English Karate’ or any close derivative would not be acceptable. For this reason, a temporary name was agreed that the official receivers office was comfortable with, that being ‘New National Governing Body for English Karate’ (NNGBEK). The JWG were mandated to make an immediate application to the courts for the use of any name for the governing body that members wish to use now or in the future.

The Joint Working Group are delighted with the support given so far and would like to thank all those association representatives who attended the meeting or sent messages of support and endorsed the unification principle.

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Karate Unification Meeting

Sunday 16 September 2007

4.30 pm – 6.30 pm

at the:

Strawberry Bank Hotel
Main Rd
Meriden
Nr Coventry
CV7 7NF

Tel: 01676 522117

AGENDA

1 Welcome

2 Apologies for absence

3 Presentation on Way Forward by John Bell

4 Report of the JWG and Recommendations

5 Adoption of Recommendations

6 Inauguration of NGB

7 Next Steps

8 Summary and Close

9 Date of Next Meetings

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A New Start for Karate In England

A New Governing Body

All Associations who have attended the various Karate group meetings this year have agreed that we need to establish a new Governing Body for Karate as soon as possible.

Unification

The last inclusive meeting of associations held on the 24th June agreed that a joint working group be formed and prepare agreed proposals for an inaugural meeting of the new governing body on 16th September. However the EKF representatives of the joint working group resigned in July and are
pursuing a separate agenda, despite a number of offers to them to work together so that a unified
Governing Body can be established.

It is still our strongly held view that Karate must be unified and we have developed proposals for the 16th September meeting which reflect this.

A Federal Structure

The representatives of Karate in England and Karate Sport England and the English Karate Alliance believe they should work with the representatives the English Karate Federation on the formation of a new National Governing Body. These three groups have agreed to put forward up to four representatives and would like the Associations within EKF to nominate their chosen representatives to form with us the Council of Representatives for the new NGB. We have a draft constitution based on this federal structure which we feel will provide fair representation and enable us to apply for official recognition.

A federal structure will allow all Karate associations to be a part of a National Governing Body.
It will allow the most senior Karateka to work together to maintain and develop the technical side of Karate. It will allow the Sport to be administered by specific sport personnel with the appropriate credentials and qualifications to deliver a modernised sport structure that will give all Karateka a fair and systemic pathway from grassroots to elite performance. It will allow those with skills in other important areas such as administration, finance, IT etc to pool their skills for the benefit of all Karateka in England

Recognition

All associations have agreed that recognition by Sport England and by appropriate international bodies is essential. We have consulted Sport England and they have encouraged us to re-establish the Governing Body and have provided guidance on the aims and objectives of the new Governing Body.

Our Approach

The new NGB should be one which assists associations and opens the door to funding and other forms of support so that Karate can grow and be appreciated for the benefits it brings. In return associations must demonstrate that they are acting responsibly. Costs will be kept to a minimum - a flat fee of £500 per association is proposed.

The use of volunteer experts from within Karate

Volunteer expertise will be used from the Karate family. Progress has been made already and we have firm offers of assistance from, for example:

Legal Advisory Panel
-A senior lecturer in law at a university
-A barrister in criminal law
-A solicitor who specialises in company law
-plus any others who volunteer

Financial Advisory Panel
-An accountant attached to a private firm
-An accountant attached to a government agency
- plus any others who volunteer

Social Policy Advisory Panel
-A sport management specialist
-A senior educationalist
-A human resource specialist
-A child protection expert
- plus any others who volunteer

Medical/physiological Advisory Panel
-A lecturer in biomechanics
-An orthopaedic surgeon
-A cardiologist
- plus any others who volunteer

We are confident that other Karateka from each of the groups will be willing to volunteer their
professional services and we would ask these individuals to make themselves known to their group representatives.

The name of the new governing body

It is suggested that we use an interim name in order to comply with the rules governing insolvency and to allow us time to consider which name we would ultimately see as most beneficial. The advice received from solicitors and the official receiver is that these rules do not allow us to use any name which is similar or suggests an association to Karate England; this includes using ‘English Karate’ with any salutation before or after, for example, ‘Union of English Karate’ or ‘English Karate Union’ etc. Former Karate England directors have received letters from the official receiver’s office informing them of these rules.

Transparency and openness

We are committed to unifying Karate and creating a strong Governing Body. We feel that our proposed structure creates that strong, united body. We wish to work with all associations in a transparent and open manner.

We have been very encouraged by the positive response and support for our approach and have had
numerous conversations with association heads in which we have taken on board their concerns

Further details on our approach will be presented on the 16th September and later on websites. A warm welcome to all associations will be extended and a full opportunity to ask questions provided on the day.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Leo Lipinski, Abdu Shaher, Molly Samuel-Leport and John Bell

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Meeting of all Associations -16 September 2007

Dear Colleagues,

A meeting of the Joint Working Group took place on 16 August in Coventry. Present were Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Abdu Shaher, Molly Samuels and John Bell; an apology was received from Leo Lipinski and no other apologies were received.

It was confirmed that the joint meeting on the 16 September will be held at 3pm at the Strawberry Bank Hotel, Meriden, Nr. Coventry.

The purpose of this meeting will be to inaugurate a new Governing Body for Karate in England which will be representative of all associations. All associations which have been in membership of previous Karate Governing Bodies in England are invited to attend.

This date was unanimously agreed by all present at the joint meeting between EKF, KIE and KSE on 11 June and confirmed at the joint meeting on 24 June. This later start is in consideration of association representatives who wish to also attend the EKF meeting which has been arranged for the same day.

Regards,

Joint Working Group

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Dear All,

We are writing further to our recent announcement of the meeting of 16th September to clarify a number of issues and make clear our position.

Firstly, the Joint Working Group is not, as is being implied, attempting to create a split in English Karate by holding the meeting on the 16th September. On the contrary, this date was unanimously agreed at a meeting between the EKF, KIE and KSE representatives on 11th June as the date for the inauguration of a new and unified National Governing Body and proposed and accepted by the EKF, KIE and KSE associations present at the meeting on 24th June.

It was also agreed at the 24th June meeting to form a Joint Working Group from representatives of EKF and KIE and this Group was given the mandate to hold a series of meetings in order to make all the necessary preparations for the inauguration meeting on 16th September.

Sadly and without warning, the three EKF representatives, Mike Dinsdale, Dave Wilson and Les Cutting, resigned from the Joint Working Group within a matter of days. They then went against the mandate given on the 24th June and set up their own Working Group and called an EKF meeting for 16th September with a view to establishing the EKF as the National Governing Body. This action was taken without any consultation with the appointed Joint Working Group members.

As the remaining members of the Joint Working Group, we were extremely disappointed at these actions, especially as recent meetings between the KIE, KSE and EKF representatives had apparently proved very positive and productive. However, we believe sincerely that every effort must be made to keep Karate unified so, as we have stated previously, we have chosen a time and venue which will provide the opportunity for EKF associations to attend both meetings. We have tried relentlessly to keep the EKF representatives involved in order to keep English Karate unified but to no avail and this is clearly demonstrated by the emails we have posted on the KIE and KSE websites.

We believe that the current division in Karate was precipitated by the organising of the meeting on 1st April, against the advice and wishes of the remaining directors of Karate England. The organisers of this meeting were well aware that the representatives of a huge percentage of Karateka could not be present on this date, but were not prepared to wait for the KE directors to organise a more suitable date and went ahead with the meeting and formed a group from those attending which they called the EKF.

Since then, all attempts at reconciliation by KIE and KSE have been thwarted by the EKF representatives, despite a firm agreement by all three parties on 11th June to work together in the best interests of Karate and to establish a new National Governing Body.

Neither has there been the transparency and open dialogue which is so overtly advertised on the EKF website. Minutes of the meeting of the 11th June were posted on the EKF website despite six of the nine persons present not agreeing to their contents, whereas the minutes and recordings of the meeting of 24th June, where it was agreed to form the Joint Working Group and to hold the inaugural meeting of a new National Governing Body on September 16th, have not been circulated and therefore many EKF members are unaware of the true situation.

We believe that, for whatever their reasons or motivation, the actions of the individuals who are driving the EKF are not in the best interests of all English Karateka. There are no doubt a number of structures that could be suitable for the governance of Karate, but whichever structure is chosen, it must be accepted by the representatives of the majority of Karateka and this requires their involvement in it’s development and the opportunity for them to contribute and share ownership.

It is obvious that these individuals in the EKF are happy to form a governing body without the inclusion or involvement of many of the largest and longest established associations and most senior Karateka. We believe that the opportunity must exist for the inclusion of all bona fide associations and individuals and that all associations, large or small, and all instructors, from the most senior and experienced to the new yet highly motivated, can and should work together in a complimentary way. There are many association members who are professionals in related fields such as finance, education and law and who are willing to give their time and expertise voluntarily to help with the development of a new Governing Body and access to this specialised voluntary sector should not be prevented because of a political division.

We have made this statement because we believe that many associations are not aware of the full picture through a combination of misinformation and a lack of transparency. For example, items are appearing which imply that the EKF is the new Governing Body; the statement below appears on Google and whatever the origin, has not been removed by the EKF.

Welcome to the English Karate Federation

The governing body for Karate in England recognized and supported by the national
sports council, the European and World Karate Federations.
www.englishkaratefederation.com/ - 50k - Cached - Similar pages

The Joint Working Group recognise the reality that there are now a small number of groups of associations who have banded together, none of which have the right to be able to claim to represent Karate in England. However, we believe that if these groups are prepared to work together in a transparent and rational way, they can quickly establish a truly representative Karate Governing Body which will provide the maximum benefits to all associations and their members.

Karate was established in England in the 1950’s. Its membership has increased massively since then and its technical and competitive standards have developed to a very high level, with many English instructors, competitors and officials being highly regarded throughout the World. Unfortunately, this success and the recognition of the many benefits that Karate is bringing to society - such as the promotion of discipline and respect amongst our young - have been time and time again overshadowed by political in-fighting. We can quickly change this by working together.

We will be circulating more details about the 16th September meeting soon and hope all associations representatives will make every effort to attend.

Thank you for your attention,

Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Leo Lipinski, Abdu Shaher, Molly Samuels and John Bell

Joint Working Group - working for the unification of Karate and the formation of a truly
representative National Governing Body for Karate in England.

__________________________________________________________

Statement from the Joint Working Group for the Unification of Karate in England

A meeting took place on 24 June between EKF, KIE and KSE and it was agreed by all present that a Joint Working Group should be formed with members nominated by EKF and KIE.

KIE were informed by EKF that they would be likely to retain the members already appointed to the EKF Working group and KIE nominated Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Leo Lipinski and Abdu Shaher.

A list of suggested meeting dates was also provided to EKF but no response was forthcoming in this respect and phone calls to the EKF representative went unanswered.

Several days later, it was stated on the EKF website that three of the EKF representatives, Mike Dinsdale, David Wilson and Les Cutting, had resigned; this was without any consultation with their colleagues, John Bell and Molly Samuel.

All the remaining members of the Joint Working Group immediately asked the three to reconsider their position and work with the group in the interest of harmony and the welfare
of Karate. This message was displayed on the KIE and KSE websites but a request to display our response on the EKF website was turned down and no response was received from any of the three.

The remaining members of the Joint Working Group met on 12 July and agreed the following;

To continue to request dialogue with those who had resigned
To continue to work towards a new and unified National Governing Body
To aim to launch the new body on 16 September as agreed with the EKF representatives on 11 June.
To continue to develop a fair and sustainable political, technical and competitive structure for the new body
To develop all the supporting documentation such as constitutions and rules
To keep Sport England and WKF informed.

Following our meeting, we wrote again to the three members who resigned to offer the hand of friendship and this time we received a response which accused un-named associations of being disruptive and expressly stated that their involvement in the setting up of a new Governing Body was not essential and in fact stated that it would be best without their involvement. It is our opinion that it is this type of response which is very disruptive and is an obstacle to the unification of Karate in England. Copies of relevant statements and emails are attached below

We believe that there needs to be the opportunity for like-minded people from EKF, KIE and KSE to work together and that communication also needs to be maintained or established with Associations who have not aligned themselves to the above groups and who are not currently part of the process. We will always welcome dialogue from those interested in creating a national governing body which will provide an environment in which English Karate Associations may flourish and grow in every respect.

Yours in Karate,

Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Abdu Shaher, Leo Lipinski, Molly Samuels and John Bell

Copies of Statements and Emails re Joint Working Group

1 KIE and KSE Web Statement from the Joint Working Group, 5 July 2007

We find it very, very disappointing that every word, action and attempt to resolve the disunited state of Karate in England is interpreted by some in such a negative way. The EKF members at the meeting of 24 June gave their blessing to an attempt to unify Karate by agreeing to a Joint Working Group made up of members from EKF and KIE. Unfortunately, three of the members from EKF have resigned from the process and it has now been stated on the EKF website that they alone will become the Working Group. We wish to ask these members to think again and work together with us for the good of Karate.

It is not worth us adding anything further - lets just get together and behave respectfully towards each other and stop all this negativity.

2 Email to Mike Dinsdale, Dave Wilson and Les Cutting,, 10 July 2007

We are writing further to our recent web statement in which we invited you to work together with us for the good of Karate.

We made this offer in good faith because we believe that all Karate Associations and practitioners in England will be best served through a unified National Governing Body
which takes in to account the varied wishes of the membership. The involvement of all Associations in the setting up of this body is essential if the correct balance is to be achieved and as you are aware, there is no single forum to allow this to happen.

All of those in attendance at our 11 June meeting agreed that the discussions had been extremely positive and that they would continue dialogue to facilitate the unification of Karate and the creation of a new National Governing Body; we ask that you re-consider your position so that we can continue work together and use our combined energies in a positive way.

We would appreciate your response as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

Bob Poynton - on behalf of members of the JWG

3 Email from Mike Dinsdale, Dave Wilson and Les Cutting, 11 July 2007

In response to your email dated 10th July 2007 entitled “Unified Karate”, we would make the following comments;

1. Whilst we agree that karate associations and practitioners in England will be best served through a unified national governing body, we cannot agree that the involvement of associations, which clearly display disruptive qualities, is in any way essential in setting up a national governing body. In fact quite the reverse, we cannot return to the days of a Karate England 2005 Ltd. It is our intention that any new governing body should be one which associations will want to joint and assist in constructive development through their membership.

2. You sign the email as “On behalf of members of the JWG”, this is in our view misrepresentation. We would point out that whilst you may represent KIE & KSE, without any representation from the EKF, you cannot claim to be a joint working group.

In closing the EKF will make a formal response to your website statement in due course.

Les Cutting, David Wilson and Mike Dinsdale.

4 Email response to Mike Dinsdale’s letter of 11 July

Dear Mick, Les and David,

We are very disappointed that you have responded to our request for you to re-join the Joint Working Group in such a negative way. The EKF approved the formation of the Joint Working Group, as did we, at the meeting of the 24 June. It is outrageous that you should unilaterally resign from the process of unification against the wishes of the EKF and without any communication whatsoever with your fellow EKF Working Group members, John Bell and Molly Samuel. We find your reason for taking such action to be incredible, accusing unnamed associations of being disruptive. In fact what you have done is totally disruptive and anti-democratic.

We need to act in the best interests of every association. We ask you to think again as your actions will cause a huge schism in English Karate.

- on behalf of the remaining members of the Joint Working Group

19 July 2007

and Mike Dinsdale.

5 Email from Mike Dinsdale, Dave Wilson and Les Cutting, 20 July 2007

Dear Bob,

In reply to your email of July 19th 2007, there really in not much that we can add to our previous response of July 10th 2007.

It is not our intention to be drawn into a futile “it’s your fault, no it’s your fault” scenario, however, we are surprised that you feel; quote “It is outrageous that you should unilaterally resign......” unquote, when it is clearly our freedom as individuals to do so.

For the record we too are extremely disappointed with the situation, as are others, and with this in mind have called a meeting of the EKF groups for 16th of September 2007, of which you are no doubt aware. We will take our instruction from them.

We note that you are now calling yourselves, quote “...the remaining members of the joint working group” unquote. It is our understanding that the meeting of the 24th June did allow the working group to be expanded, but not only did the EKF not expand its representation, but the three names it did have, resigned. So perhaps you can explain how you can continue to say that you are representing a joint working group?

David Wilson, Les Cutting & Mike Dinsdale

Ps.

You did not send a copy of your email to cuttinglesllie@aol.com not to David Wilson at dj.wilson@tesco.net see your email cc addresses.

__________________________________________________________

18th Senior British International Karate Open

K2 Leisure Centre, Crawley, London Gatwick
1 September 2007

Dear Friends,
We would like to invite you the 18th Senior British International Karate Open and its new home the K2 Leisure centre.
We have looked at many facilities in and around the London area the K2 is a newly built facility that provides everything that we require to maintain the great standards that we achieved a Crystal Palace and provides room for growth in the future.
The K2 Leisure centre is ideally positioned close to London Gatwick airport and coach transfer from London Heathrow to Gatwick runs regularly and takes only 1 hour giving our international competitors easy access to the event.
While K2 is also close the M25 giving home based competitors easy access to the motorway network, you can look at the many facilities the K2 offers (some are listed below) by visiting the website: k2crawley.com.
12 Court Multi Purpose Sports Hall, which will also cater for events with a large spectator seating capacity, Teaching Pool and Leisure Pool (under 8's), Sauna Room / Steam Room, 2 x Indoor Bowls Rink, 5 x Squash Courts, Crèche Area, 2 x Aerobic / Dance Studios, Martial Arts Room, 5 x Treatment Rooms, 3 x Multi-Purpose Rooms, Cafeteria and Bar Area, Artificial Turf Pitch, Multi-Use Games Area, 8 Lane Athletics Facility, Changing Rooms and Free Car Parking.
In preparation for the introduction of 14/15 years old in the WKF international arena we have added this age group to this year’s event in an attempt to help the development of our British competitors but also to give an opportunity for our internationals to develop their own youth.
Therefore we look forward to seeing you all on the 1 September 2007 at the K2 in this new era of the British International Karate Open.
Regards,
Abdu Shaher Tournament Director.

Full details,

Application form

__________________________________________________________

Statement from the Joint Working Group for the Unification of Karate in England

It is not worth us adding anything further - lets just get together and behave respectfully towards each other and stop all this negativity.

5 July 2007

__________________________________________________________

Dear Fellow Karateka

The world’s top sports enjoy a common idea. Alonso and Hamilton top the F1 leader board, Andrew Murray slips out of the top ten in tennis, Italy are ranked number one by FIFA etc.etc.

They are all inspired by a ranking system that allows the competitors in that sport to know where they stand within the sport.

In 1999 the old EKGB agreed at a council meeting to hold a series of events that would support a ranking system but a small minority hijacked the concept and it never materialised.

WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE START OF THE FIRST :-

ALL ENGLAND RANKING SERIES FOR KARATE

This will be the first of a series of events that will provide the results to support a National Ranking System for individual kumite , kata and senior team kata.

This Ranking system will then be updated regularly and published and will be used as a tool for selection of athletes.

Full details, application form and poster

__________________________________________________________

Meeting at the Strawberry Bank Hotel, Meriden, 24th June, 12.00pm

Please accept this brief note by way of an update on the current situation regarding this Sunday’s forthcoming meeting.

On 11th June, a meeting was held between representatives of the EKF, KIE and KSE.

All those present agreed on the day that it had been a very positive meeting and that the best way to achieve unification of Karate within England would be for the three groups to continue to act together with their appointed representatives as a joint working group and for the representatives to ask their respective associations to endorse this process.

Additionally, it was agreed that it would be necessary to raise some funding for the immediate future and that all Associations be asked to pay a flat annual fee of £500 in quarterly instalments, with the first payment to be due on 1st July.

All Associations represented by the above groups are invited to send two representatives to this Sunday’s meeting and it is imperative that all of those attending view this as an opportunity to agree a way forward for the development of a new unified National Karate Governing Body; failure to do so will set Karate back greatly and undoubtedly result in many of us expending a huge amount of energy in a negative way by arguing and lobbying when that energy could be channelled so much more positively into joint development for the benefit of all English Karateka.

This meeting must not be seen as a battle of differences but a pooling of shared ideals and aspirations and an opportunity for Association representatives to raise any concerns so that they may be addressed at this early stage of development.

We look forward to seeing you at Meriden.

22 June 2007

KarateSport England

__________________________________________________________

Refereeing Success in Bratislava -
6 New European Qualifications

England's refereeing department led by Terry Pottage achieved a 100% success rate at the recent European Karate Championships held in Bratislava.
Everyone attending paid all their own expenses covering flights, accommodation and course fees but the success has increased our total of international officials to 12, putting England in 3rd place behind France and Russia but ahead of Spain.

Terry Pottage commented that he was "over the moon" with the performances of all the England officials which has really been reflected in this recognition and reflects so admirably the hard work and commitment over the years. This reward will continue to make them all great ambassadors for English Karate.

The Directing Committee of KarateSport England would like to extend their recognition to Terry Pottage and all the officials listed below on their fantastic achievements this past weekend and we are sure this will be echoed from all parts of Karate across England.

Results: 6 New European Qualifications

Ivor Thomas Judge 'B' Kumite
Brian Noble Referee 'A' Kumite
Nariman Jeddi Referee 'A' Kumite
Steve Coupland Judge 'A' Kumite
Billy Brennan Judge 'B' Kata
Vince Parker Judge 'B' Kata

__________________________________________________________

A personal statement by Abdu Shaher 7th Dan World Karate Champion

Abdu Shaher time as Karate England Director and Performance Director
(no person has the authority to republish or reproduce this statement in any form, electronically or otherwise without prior written permission from the author Abdu Shaher)

During the past 9 months I have been the subject of much gossip and innuendo that has no factual basis and remains wholly inaccurate and unsubstantiated. As a result I am issuing this public statement to set the record straight and present the true and accurate facts surrounding my involvement in relation to the demise of Karate England (2005) Ltd, with the hope that the constant speculation will cease along with any further accusations or ‘finger pointing’

Throughout this relentless game of mud slinging and desire by some, to find Abdu Shaher as the likely scapegoat, I have, until now, maintained a dignified silence in spite of these unsubstantiated allegations, that have been published on various websites and verbalised at meetings.

However, I have decided in light of future events and my own personal integrity and professionalism, to publicly refute any suggestion of impropriety or wrongdoing and set the record straight. And also, in order not to allow certain individuals to voice these false allegations with impunity.

I know that many involved with Karate, both in the UK and abroad would agree that since its inception I have been one of the hardest working karateka in Karate England, with only Bob Poynton running a close second.

Furthermore, I am issuing the following Statement of Fact for ALL to examine in the light of day, which gives a chronological record of my position throughout my involvement with Karate England (2005) Ltd. Those who are shouting the loudest, as well as other interested parties, can look at the following statement of fact and read ‘between the lines’ hopefully seeing that not many can match the unselfish commitment that I have given to athletes, coaches, KE Board, parents and member associations.
The attached itemised statement is the true facts surrounding my involvement with Karate England (2005) Ltd.

Without prejudice.

Abdu Shaher

Abdu Shaher - Full Statement

REGIONAL SQUADS
Announcement

KarateSport England Directing Committee would like to announce the commencement of Regional Squad Training Sessions in all 3 regions (Northern, Midlands and Southern) thrughout 2007.
These training sessions will be in preparation for future International open events throughout 2007 and falls in line with the re -introduction of the popular regional structure.
Volunteer Coaches are currently booking venues, training times and all the information will be posted on this website very shortly. The coaches look forward to welcoming all athletes and association coaches back, along with new talent. This includes 10 year olds up to senior competitors in both kata and kumite.

__________________________________________________________

Regional Squad Training 2007

Southern Regional Squad Training Sunday 29 July 2007, 9.30am -2pm Bisham, near Marlow, Bucks.
Midlands Regional Squad Training Saturday 14 July 2007, 11.30am -4pm Rugby.
Northern Regional Squad Training Sunday 11 July 2007, 11.30am -4pm EIS, Sheffield.

__________________________________________________________

To All KarateKa:

The Directing Committee of KarateSport England would like to invite all interested parties to view our outline structure contained in this website and would welcome your in put in shaping the future karate at our next meeting on the 21 April 2007.

Venue: Quality Hotel, Loughborough (Junction 23 off M1)

Time: 1pm

You can also show you support for this Sporting body along with the Associations listed below by writing to admin@karatesportengland.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you in Loughborough.

Regards,

KarateSport England Directing Committee

Representative/ Association

Vic Charles MBE - BSKA

Abdu Shaher - BKO,

Terry Pottage -KYK,
Ossie Rowe - UKASKO,
Chris Mundle - K.K.A
Doug James - Chojinkai
Molly Samuels-Leporte - Gendai
Enzo Quirino - EKK
Dale Gamble -BIKO
Willie Thomas - KCKA,
Dave Philips - S.A.S.K.A
Ian Cuthbert - Shikon,

Nariman Jeddi -Hanko-Ryu,
Vince Parker -U.K.O,
Tyrone Whyte -BKU,
Fred Rose - BUKA
Andy Saunders/Michael Harris - Higashi
Paul Campbell - USA
Stan Knighton - SKU
Alan Flook - WKU
Terry Robins/ Barry Lovett - KMAC
Dean Ince - RSK

__________________________________________________________

The new directing committee of KarateSport England would like to issue the following statements unanimously agreed at their meeting on Saturday 3rd March 2007 in Loughborough.

Minutes of this meeting will be posted on this website in the next few days.

1. Objectives of KarateSport England
The object of the KarateSport England is to foster and promote all competitive forms of the Sport of Karate at all levels, providing opportunities for competition.

We wish to work in conjunction with other groups in the formation of a new governing body that supports the rules and ideals of the World Karate Federation.

__________________________________________________________

Dear All,

We are writing further to our recent announcement of the meeting of 16th September to clarify a number of issues and make clear our position.

Welcome to the English Karate Federation

We will be circulating more details about the 16th September meeting soon and hope all associations representatives will make every effort to attend.

Thank you for your attention,

Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Leo Lipinski, Abdu Shaher, Molly Samuels and John Bell

Joint Working Group - working for the unification of Karate and the formation of a truly
representative National Governing Body for Karate in England.

__________________________________________________________

Statement from the Joint Working Group for the Unification of Karate in England

A meeting took place on 24 June between EKF, KIE and KSE and it was agreed by all present that a Joint Working Group should be formed with members nominated by EKF and KIE.

KIE were informed by EKF that they would be likely to retain the members already appointed to the EKF Working group and KIE nominated Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Leo Lipinski and Abdu Shaher.

A list of suggested meeting dates was also provided to EKF but no response was forthcoming in this respect and phone calls to the EKF representative went unanswered.

The remaining members of the Joint Working Group met on 12 July and agreed the following;

To continue to request dialogue with those who had resigned
To continue to work towards a new and unified National Governing Body
To aim to launch the new body on 16 September as agreed with the EKF representatives on 11 June.
To continue to develop a fair and sustainable political, technical and competitive structure for the new body
To develop all the supporting documentation such as constitutions and rules
To keep Sport England and WKF informed.

Yours in Karate,

Andy Sherry, Bob Poynton, Abdu Shaher, Leo Lipinski, Molly Samuels and John Bell

Copies of Statements and Emails re Joint Working Group

1 KIE and KSE Web Statement from the Joint Working Group, 5 July 2007

It is not worth us adding anything further - lets just get together and behave respectfully towards each other and stop all this negativity.

2 Email to Mike Dinsdale, Dave Wilson and Les Cutting,, 10 July 2007

We are writing further to our recent web statement in which we invited you to work together with us for the good of Karate.

We would appreciate your response as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

Bob Poynton - on behalf of members of the JWG

3 Email from Mike Dinsdale, Dave Wilson and Les Cutting, 11 July 2007

In response to your email dated 10th July 2007 entitled “Unified Karate”, we would make the following comments;

In closing the EKF will make a formal response to your website statement in due course.

Les Cutting, David Wilson and Mike Dinsdale.

4 Email response to Mike Dinsdale’s letter of 11 July

Dear Mick, Les and David,

We need to act in the best interests of every association. We ask you to think again as your actions will cause a huge schism in English Karate.

- on behalf of the remaining members of the Joint Working Group

19 July 2007

and Mike Dinsdale.

5 Email from Mike Dinsdale, Dave Wilson and Les Cutting, 20 July 2007

Dear Bob,

In reply to your email of July 19th 2007, there really in not much that we can add to our previous response of July 10th 2007.

David Wilson, Les Cutting & Mike Dinsdale

Ps.

You did not send a copy of your email to cuttinglesllie@aol.com not to David Wilson at dj.wilson@tesco.net see your email cc addresses.

__________________________________________________________

18th Senior British International Karate Open

K2 Leisure Centre, Crawley, London Gatwick
1 September 2007

Full details,

Application form

__________________________________________________________

Statement from the Joint Working Group for the Unification of Karate in England

It is not worth us adding anything further - lets just get together and behave respectfully towards each other and stop all this negativity.

5 July 2007

__________________________________________________________

Dear Fellow Karateka

The world’s top sports enjoy a common idea. Alonso and Hamilton top the F1 leader board, Andrew Murray slips out of the top ten in tennis, Italy are ranked number one by FIFA etc.etc.

They are all inspired by a ranking system that allows the competitors in that sport to know where they stand within the sport.

In 1999 the old EKGB agreed at a council meeting to hold a series of events that would support a ranking system but a small minority hijacked the concept and it never materialised.

WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE START OF THE FIRST :-

ALL ENGLAND RANKING SERIES FOR KARATE

This will be the first of a series of events that will provide the results to support a National Ranking System for individual kumite , kata and senior team kata.

This Ranking system will then be updated regularly and published and will be used as a tool for selection of athletes.

Full details, application form and poster

__________________________________________________________

Meeting at the Strawberry Bank Hotel, Meriden, 24th June, 12.00pm

Please accept this brief note by way of an update on the current situation regarding this Sunday’s forthcoming meeting.

On 11th June, a meeting was held between representatives of the EKF, KIE and KSE.

We look forward to seeing you at Meriden.

22 June 2007

KarateSport England

__________________________________________________________

Refereeing Success in Bratislava -
6 New European Qualifications

Results: 6 New European Qualifications

Ivor Thomas Judge 'B' Kumite
Brian Noble Referee 'A' Kumite
Nariman Jeddi Referee 'A' Kumite
Steve Coupland Judge 'A' Kumite
Billy Brennan Judge 'B' Kata
Vince Parker Judge 'B' Kata

__________________________________________________________

A personal statement by Abdu Shaher 7th Dan World Karate Champion