The World Karate Federation is set to increment its anti-doping activities in an effort to further expand the purity of the sport. While honour and integrity are intrinsic elements to the nature of this ancient discipline, Karate´s international governing body pledges to respond to the doping global threat by ensuring a fully clean sport. 

The World Karate Federation is set to increment its anti-doping activities in an effort to further expand the purity of the sport. While honour and integrity are intrinsic elements of the nature of this ancient discipline, Karate´s international governing body pledges to respond to the doping global threat by ensuring a fully clean sport. 

Following the WKF’s interest, and in the wake of the inclusion of Karate in the programme of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the World Karate Federation has joined forces with SportAccord Doping-Free Sport Unity to increase the level of anti-doping activities. 

Among the actions that are being implemented, the WKF has raised the number of Registered Testing Pool (RTP) athletes by 50% so to reach maximum coverage in 2019 and 2020. The tally of Out and In-Competition tests has also being expanded while focusing on top athletes and competitors at risk has been the main priority. During the 2016 season, special attention was paid to the months preceding to the 2016 Karate World Championships which were held in Linz (Austria). 

Likewise, the WKF Athlete Passport Management Unit plays a crucial role in ensuring that all the right criteria for clean competitions are met. The WKF Athlete Passport Management Unit has been active since 2014 and is essential in the analysis of athletes’ biological passports and in the creation of smart Test Distribution Plans. Out of all the Steroidal Passport Notifications which were received in 2016, only 18% triggered an Atypical Passport Finding. 

Educational anti-doping seminars

In addition to control and analysis, the project established by the WKF includes support to both youth and senior competitors through the organisation of educational anti-doping seminars at first-class events. These educational actions aim at preventing doping issues by using the power of information, the distribution of knowledge and open discussions. 

One of the many informational activities during 2016 occurred at the Karate World Championships in Linz, where national team coaches and staff members attended an anti-doping seminar organised by the SportAccord Doping-Free Sport Unit as part of WKF continuous training process for coaches. During this event at the Austrian city, an Outreach educational booth was set to support athletes in understanding the general risks of doping while instructing competitors on WKF anti-doping regulations. The participation of the Austrian National Anti-Doping Organisation was essential in the success of the educational programme developed in Linz for the first-class Karate event. 

As a result of this effort, no Adverse Analytical Findings were recorded on tests for which the WKF was either the Testing or the Result Management Authority in 2016.