The Referee Briefing of the 2024 AKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships in Manila, Philippines highlighted the progress of refereeing in Karate. The meeting was led by the Chairman of the AKF Referee Commission and member of the WKF Referee Commission Mansour Al-Sultan, alongside WKF Referee Commission Chairman Javier Escalante, with the President of the National Federation of the Philippines Richard Lim and AKF Vice-President and WKF Executive Committee member Rashid Al-Ali in attendance. The event had the participation of WKF President Antonio Espinós.

The briefing aimed to unify refereeing criteria across all participating officials, ensuring consistency and fairness throughout the competition. The gathering underscored the significant progress in karate judging across Asia, demonstrating the region's commitment to maintaining high standards in officiating.

WKF President Antonio Espinós praised the efforts of the AKF referee community during the briefing. "I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the AKF referees for their dedication to staying at the forefront of karate refereeing. Your commitment ensures that our competitions are conducted with the highest level of fairness and professionalism. I would also like to thank WKF Referee Commission Chairman Javier Escalante for his tireless efforts to elevate the level of refereeing globally. The progress we see in karate officiating is not just a testament to the growth of our sport, but it also serves as a model for fairness and integrity in sports worldwide."

The 2024 AKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships in Manila were a landmark event, further solidifying the progress and excellence of karate in Asia and around the world. 

(Top picture: WKF Antonio Espinós addresses the audience of referees in Manila)

AKF Referee Commission chairman Mansour Al-Sultan explained the particularities of the event.

Over 120 referees officiated at the event.