As we all know the World Fullcontact Karate Organization will host the first World Championship in Japan next year. The WFKO has systematic grown in the wake of JFKO, which has long been well established. This spring we watched the 5th JFKO All Japan Open tournament – and could confirm top level, top support. The 1st European Fullcontact Karate Championship will as we know be a selection tournament to Japan 2020. But before this, there are also a similar tournament to be held in France 19-21 September. At last we are going into a new phase – and there is a lot of questions regarding to this settings..

 18/19 January 2020 will be the date for the 1st EFKO European Tournament as previous announced. In the “Diamond Cup frame” the championship will be held in Belgium. Being open for all organizations and styles are more or less common in these days, but there will be some questions that must be clarified. That said, we know that the “Diamond cup team” with Koen Spitaels Shihan in the lead will be a success!

Number of participants – from nation – organization – Dojo?

This is a very central question because when the tournament are open to all organizations – but still refer to the European region we have big differences between the organizations. If we are looking at a certain number, a limit of fighters from each nation, that alone will alone has to be clarified. But first of all: which nations can participate in this European Championship?And this will be a very interesting case to follow. Thinking of all the top fighters out there that possible can meet, that have never fought before.

If you belong to IFK and comes from Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus you are in the European Championship of IFK. Take the same nations compared with EKO Shinkyokushin you will have three different regions Russia – Russia, Kazakhstan – Central Asia, and Belarus – Europe. If we take it even further looking at European Championship in KWF, we will find nations as Lebanon, Iran and Japan (!) in the European Championship. This means that one needs guidelines regarding to the tournament in Belgium which nations can participate. (of course it ill come, but faster we get them the better)

Further on when the answer of which nations are clarified, one need to know the number of fighters from each nation. And will the number be regarding to your organisation or to our nation in total? If each organisation have a number they have to have an intern election, if its a total number regarding to the nation – who will decide which fighters that will go? This can be solved with a selection tournament – that will again bring us a new challenge: organizing and preparing even more activities into a schedule that is already at the breaking point.

All of this is of course soluble, what we are most interested in is the process of achieving the goal – which is quite far ahead for many. Perhaps so far away that you do not see it, and if you do not see your goal – then it will be very difficult to set the right course. So maybe the short version of all this will be: Who are meant to be in this tournament?

The history of organizing the Diamond Cup i Belgium makes us believe 100% that the championship will be a great event held in Western Europe close to Central Europe. from earlier we have seen formidable support from all over Europe including Russia and others participating in the Diamond Cup. A top international Fullcontact Karate Tournament with other world.

We also remember that some years ago, the Diamond Cup actually had a subtitle “West European Championship” (2014) and in that case the subtitle was referred to the participating countries.

Selection – The road to Japan

The biggest goal is of course to qualify trough this and into the 1st World Fullcontact Karate Championship in 2020 – in May. As we can see this tournament will (this year  2020) be instead of the annual JFKO All Japan Open – in Europe we still have the European Championships. Georgia will host the EC Shinkyokushin 2/3 April. One month later +/- we have the 1st WFKO championship in Japan. Are we in a position to make this challenge? On top of this we still have a national tournament – maybe selection tournaments for this big events as well.

As we speak, The road to Japan – we are on it all ready! The 12th World Championship in November will be the absolute highlight. But before that we do have some more possibilities. Missing some official information on this, but as we have been told there will be held a WFKO tournament in France this September 19-21st.  – but as we understand this is not a selection tournament – but a regular open tournament in the EFKO matter. Well – we all have some preparations to do – where we meet is perhaps a another question.

⇑ NOTE: Not official poster

Official website for the tournament in Belgium (not working 16/7) www.efko.be From organizer Facebook poster