Officials Celebrate Historic Karate One Youth League in Harare

The first-ever African edition of the Karate One Youth League concluded successfully in Harare, marking a historic moment for karate development across the continent. The global youth competition brought together talented young athletes, coaches, and officials for a world-class event under the leadership of the World Karate Federation (WKF).

The competition welcomed high-level WKF leadership, including WKF Vice President Bechir Cherif and Union of African Karate Federations (UFAK) President and WKF Assistant General Treasurer Souleymane Gaye, whose presence highlighted the importance of the event for karate’s future in Africa.

Beyond competition, the event also supported the growth of refereeing across the continent. African referees had the opportunity to test the latest advancements and rule developments in the sport during a first-class world event. This experience is expected to strengthen officiating standards and prepare referees from Africa for future international competitions.

After the event, Antonio Espinós, President of the World Karate Federation,said:

“We are grateful to the Zimbabwe Karate Federation and its president Joe Rugwete for successfully hosting this event in Zimbabwe. Our sincere appreciation also goes to the Union of African Karate Federations and its president Souleymane Gaye, as well as Vice President Bechir Cherif, for their strong support and for helping ensure that karate continues to grow as one of the most popular sports among youth in Africa. With strong participation, high organizational standards, and the presence of leading WKF officials, the Harare event has set an important benchmark for future international karate competitions in Africa.”

(Top picture: WKF Vice President Bechir Cherif, UFAK President Souleymane Gaye,  Zimbabwe Karate Federation president Joe Rugwete, Supervisor of the event and WKF Technical Commission chair MohamedElhosieny, and UFAL Chief Referee and head referee of the event Lewellyn Rhoda pose with the judges officiating at the event.