The moment that Karate fans from all over the world have been waiting for is ready to start. The best European karatekas are in Minsk (Belarus) to fight for glory at the 2nd edition of the European Games. The Karate competition is scheduled to begin on Saturday, June 29 in one of the most anticipated moments of the season. 

The moment that Karate fans from all over the world have been waiting for is ready to start. The best European karatekas are in Minsk (Belarus) to fight for glory at the 2nd edition of the European Games. The Karate competition is scheduled to begin on Saturday, June 29 in one of the most anticipated moments of the season. 

The official meetings on Friday kicked off the Karate event in Minsk. Athletes and coaches gathered at Chizhovka Arena for the coach meeting and draw where the Karate competition was officially unveiled. 

“We are ready to have great days of Karate. I would like to give special thanks to (General Secretary of the NOC of Belarus, president of the Belarus Karate Federation and MECOG CEO) George Katulin for being here with us today. Please, do transmit your team how happy we are with the preparations and with the venue. I am convinced that we will have a great Karate competition here in Minsk. We have been putting all our efforts to have the best of the best of our sport here,” said EKF and WKF President Antonio Espinós.

“Ten out of the twelve European champions, the eight top-placed athletes in WKF World ranking, and eight current World champions are here; we believe that it is very important for us to have the best level here. This is one of the ways that we can show the European Olympic Committees the commitment of the EKF with the European Games,” added the head of European and World Karate Federation. 

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the NOC of Belarus, president of the Belarus Karate Federation and MECOG CEO George Katulin gave a warm welcome to the attendees at the meeting. 

“I want to welcome you here not only as the CEO of the European Games but also as a brother of the Karate family. Karate is a great sport. The motto of our games is ‘Bright year, bright you’, and I would ask all of you to show the ‘bright you’. I am happy that we fulfilled our promise to provide the best possible venue for the Karate competition at the European Games.” said Katulin who took time to review the momentous times for the sport.  

“We have not been included in the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 but one of the rules of the karateka is to never give up. I would like all of us here to show the world that we are ready to fight to correct this mistake. No other sport deserves to be in the Olympic Games as much as Karate, for our tradition, respect and honour,” added Mr Katulin. 

The competition draw determined the schedule and confrontations in the elimination rounds of the event, so karatekas know the path they must take to win the coveted medals at the tournament. 

The Karate competition starts on Saturday 29th with the Kata categories (from 09.00 local time). The finals in the first day of competition are scheduled from 17.25 to 18.41 (local times. The tournament continues on Sunday 30th with the rest of the categories from 09:00 local time. The finals of the second day will take place from 16:37 to 17:48 local times. The event will be broadcast in 195 countries all around the world.

(Picture: From left to right: EKF Organising Committee chairman Esteban Perez, EKF Referee Commission chairman Alois Wiesbock, EKF 1st Vice President Jiri Bocek, EKF and WKF President Antonio Espinós, president of the Belarus Karate Federation and MECOG CEO George Katulin, and European Games Karate Technical Director Davor Cipek)