World, Africa karate bodies pledge to support Ghana

The President of the African Karate Federation (AKF), Mr Souleymane Gaye, has pledged its continuous support for the Ghana Karate Federation (GKF) in their efforts to get the sport to the pinnacle on the continent.

Mr Gaye disclosed this to the media after leading a high-pow­ered delegation of Karate players including World Karate Federa­tion (WKF) president, Antonio Espinós Ortueta, and other AKF executives, to support the GKF at the ongoing Africa Games.

According to Mr Gaye, Ghana was one of the emerging countries the Africa federation was proud of, and hosting the most important event for Karate-do in Africa at the African Games was a feather in the cup for the GKF.

“Twenty-seven countries and 250 athletes are participating in the African Games, and this means a lot to WKF and AKF, for which reason we must be here to support them and make sure we have a successful competition.”

“Also, our main target is to help the African countries get to the same level as the other continents, and this is what we are doing and will not stop until we see countries like Ghana at the top.”

For him, the likes of Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, who are at the top of the sport in Africa, did not get there by accident, expressing the belief that Ghana can get to the same level if the GKF and Ghanaians sustain the support the sport was enjoying.

Mr Ortueta said he has a very good image of Karate in Africa, and together with other federa­tions, they were working very hard to take karate to the very top at the Olympic Games.

“We have made progress working on the rules, image, and competition. Now, we are only waiting for the IOC to come back to the principles of the recognition of the merits of a traditional sport like karate. I can assure all karate will be back at the Olympics.”

The GKF president, Mr Na­thaniel Johnson, thanked both presidents for their support for the sport and for coming to Ghana to supervise the karate competition at the African Games.

“The African Games is a big deal, and although the Games are being handled by the Local Organising Committee (LOC), we as the federation are thankful for the support you have given to the federation and the Games itself,” he stated.

 BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY

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