WKF and EKF President Antonio Espinós highlighted the progress of Karate at the 53rd European Olympic Committees (EOC) General Assembly in Bucarest, Romania. Mr Espinós was accompanied by WKF Assistant General Secretary and EKF General Secretary Davor Cipek at the event that gathered Europe’s most influential sports leaders.
The assembly’s agenda was packed with significant topics, among others, the vote to confirm Istanbul’s bid to host the 2027 European Games, following the success of the 3rd European Games held in Poland in 2023. Additionally, there were updates on the EOC’s events scheduled for 2025, including the Winter and Summer European Youth Olympic Festival and the Games of the Small States of Europe. A dedicated session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) was also added, alongside reports on the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) activities, IOC’s Olympic Solidarity, the Olympic Games, and the EOC Strategic Agenda 2030, among other points.
During the assembly, Mr. Espinós and Mr. Cipek took the opportunity to discuss the progress of karate with EOC President Spyros Capralos. These discussions highlighted the ongoing growth and development of karate within the European sports community.
WKF and EKF President Antonio Espinós said:
“Karate has a tremendous added value to the European sports ecosystem, and the success of our sport in the three editions of the European Games demonstrates the significant impact of Karate on the continent. We hope to continue this success at the 2027 edition in Istanbul, and I want to thank EOC President Mr Capralos for his support of Karate.
“Our presence as representatives of our sport at the EOC General Assembly underscores Karate’s commitment to growth and collaboration within the wider European sports framework. The discussions today at the assembly will undoubtedly shape the future of sports in Europe, and karate is poised to continue its upward trajectory.
“My gratitude goes also to Romanian Karate Federation President Octavian Amzulescu for hosting us during our time here in Bucharest and for being a force for the progress of our sport in the region. The increasing popularity of Karate in Romania and the rising presence of Romanian athletes in our competitions reflect this contribution.”
Karate has been a sport on the programme of the European Games since the first edition in Baku and has successfully participated in all three editions of Baku, Minsk and Poland.
Top picture: WKF and EKF President Antonio Espinós (right) and WKF Assistant General Secretary and EKF General Secretary Davor Cipek at EOC’s Assembly.
Family picture of all the participants in EOC’s Assembly.
From left to right: WKF Assistant General Secretary and EKF General Secretary Davor Cipek, EOC President Spyros Capralos, and WKF and EKF President Antonio Espinós.
The plenary session of the European Olympic Committees.
From left to right: Romanian Karate Federation president Octavian Amzulescu, WKF and EKF President Antonio Espinós, and WKF Assistant General Secretary and EKF General Secretary Davor Cipek.