KUALA LUMPUR — The Asean Karate Federation (AKF) has confirmed a 95% chance that karate will be included in next year’s Bangkok SEA Games, following its initial exclusion from the list of events for the biennial competition.
Speaking to Scoop, Malaysia Karate Federation (Makaf) president Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad disclosed that AKF affiliates recently held discussions with the Bangkok SEA Games Federation and successfully persuaded the organising committee to approve the sport’s inclusion.
“We have around 11 affiliates in AKF, including Malaysia, and we have been advocating for karate to be part of the Bangkok Games next year. It’s not just Malaysia; many other countries in the region have also seen success in karate at the SEA Games. It wouldn’t be fair if there were no competition for the sport.
“Our role as affiliates is to educate the organising committee on the importance of including karate, which has been part of this multisport event for decades.
“We cannot allow the competition to be excluded just because certain countries don’t want to participate or cannot afford to compete. From our perspective, Malaysia has consistently contributed medals in this sport, and we want to continue that legacy.
“Currently, the discussion is 95% complete, and we expect a 100% confirmation after our next meeting in Bangkok on September 8,” said Azmi when contacted.
It was reported that the Bangkok SEA Games Federation announced that several traditional sports, which are gold mines for Malaysia, including weightlifting and wushu, have been excluded from the Games.
Instead, the federation has proposed 40 sports, including disc sports and tug-of-war, as demonstration sports for the 33rd edition of the Games, scheduled to take place from December 9 to 20 next year in Bangkok, Chonburi, and Songkhla.
Malaysia has been a powerhouse in karate at the SEA Games since the sport was introduced in 1987 in Jakarta, winning a total of 126 medals.
Beyond the SEA Games, karate has also been a major medal prospect for Malaysia at the Asian Games, where the country has won a total of 31 karate medals, comprising eight golds, seven silvers, and 16 bronzes, placing the nation fourth in the all-time medal standings. — September 4, 2024