2020

Combat and World Games Update

Roy Baker WAKO

INFORMATION FOR WAKO MEMBERS Dates:

3rd WORLD COMBAT GAMES THE WORLD GAMES NUR-SULTAN, KAZAKHSTAN BIRMINGHAM, USA May, 3 - 9 2021 July, 19 - 23 2021 * Provisional* * Confirmed* *To be fully confirmed*

Dear Presidents / Dear members

Below you will find the most up to date information, in relation to the upcoming World Combat Games and World Games in 2021. This is a tremendous opportunity for WAKO to showcase its top athletes on the world stage under IOC patronage. It represents a real and transparent opportunity for our Athletes to compete at the very top of the sport world.

With such a stage comes responsibility, in particular in regards to Anti-Doping, we must ensure our Athletes and coaches are aware and understand the entire structure around Anti-Doping and their individual and collective responsibility to keep our sport clean and free from manipulation of any kind.

We are awaiting final confirmation of dates, venue for two continents and expect the details to be forwarded to WAKO IF within the month of January to allow all members to prepare their athletes for this opportunity. It is also important we mobilise nationally this year around the continental championships as the pre qualifiers for the two events, I believe they will be the biggest in the history of the Continents.

Respectfully Yours,

Roy Baker WAKO President

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3rd WORLD COMBAT GAMES NUR-SULTAN, KAZAKHSTAN 2021.

For the third time WAKO will participate on World Combat Games which will be held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan in 2021.

Flights and accommodation will be covered by the Combat Games LOC for the Quota.

WAKO will be represented by two disciplines Point Fighting and Full Contact.

Athletes and Weight Classes;

- total number of Athletes 96 or 88.

- individual tournament in 11/12 different weight classes (6 male and 5/6 female)

Point Fighting male: 63, 79, 89 female: 50, 60, 70 Full Contact male: 63.5, 71, 81 female: 56, 60, 65

In each weight class there will be 8 athletes representing 8 different countries.

Note, WAKO has asked GAISF for full gender balance and a delegation of 96 athletes to Combat Games, (currently allocated 88). If unsuccessful the division in red above will be withdrawn**

Qualification system and Quota;

Athletes will qualify based on results achieved on approved WAKO Continental Championships held in 2020. There will be 5 Qualification events:

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WAKO European Championships 2020 Antalya, Turkey - October 10 th – 18th WAKO Asian Championships 2020 South Korea – Dates TBC WAKO Pan American Championships 2020 Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, 11th – 15th November WAKO African Championships 2020 Pretoria, South Africa, July 25th – 26th K1 + Tatami Sports Yaounde, Cameroon, April 21st – 26th Full Contact – Low Kick WAKO Oceania Championships 2020 Canberra, Australia, April 17th – 18th

Quota for each WAKO Continental federation will be as follows;

WAKO Europe 4 athletes in each PF and FC weight class (first, second and 2 third places from WAKO European Championships 2020)

WAKO Asia 1 athlete in each PF and FC weight class (first place from WAKO Asian Championships 2020)

WAKO Pan America 1 athlete in each PF and FC weight class (first place from WAKO Pan American Championships 2020.

WAKO Africa 1 athlete in each PF and FC weight class (first place from WAKO African Championships 2020)

Additional Split Quota WAKO Asia/Pan America/Oceania; Asia Panam Oceania Point Fight: Point Fight: Point Fight: men: -89kg men: 79kg men: -63kg women: -60kg women: -50kg and -70kg Full contact: Full contact: Full Contact women: -56kg women: -60kg women: -65kg men: -63.5kg / -71kg men: -81kg

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Refereeing As in previous IWGA and Combat Games, Only A class WAKO IF, who have attended the referees assessment World Cups of that year will be invited and allowed to attend. Based on same selection and screening Criteria as per previous two Combat Games/IWGA - 10 PF – 12 FC.

Replacement of athletes regarding withdrawals/pull outs: If an athlete pulls out due to injury, anti-doping violation, retirement or any other reason whatsoever, the following process will apply:

1. First priority will be given to Kazakhstan as the Host Country (if no Kazakhstan athlete is already selected) 2. Second priority will be given to Asia in PF and Pan America in FC. 3. Notice Period, in the event of a vacant position the following timelines will apply a. Greater than two months prior to event, the Continental Federation must notify TD of replacement athlete within two weeks of written notice. b. Less than two months, prior to event, the Continental Federation must notify TD of replacement athlete within two weeks of written notice. c. Less than two months, Continental Federation must notify TD of replacement athlete within one weeks of written notice. 4. Failure to remain within timelines, will mean a wild card is used.

WAKO Contact Point; For any clarification you may need you can contact, Mr. Srdjan Bugarcic, as Competition Manager for kickboxing WCG Nur Sultan 2021: [email protected]

Further information and details on WCG Nur Sultan 2021 will follow as soon as possible.

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THE WORLD GAMES BIRMINGHAM, USA - 2021

As previously announced Kickboxing has been accepted at next edition of The World Games, to be held in Birmingham (USA) in July 2021 as full official sport.

WAKO has been restricted to participating in one discipline, K-1, in 3 male and 3 female weight classes, for a total of 48 Athletes. The reason for only 48 athletes is a direct consequence of ONE positive doping test at the last World Games in Wroclaw.

Costs of the quota; Athletes and Officials attend at their own expense.

Please be informed that the 6 selected weight categories approved by majority by the Board of Directors following advice of the appointed “ad hoc working group” with 8 fighters in each class are the following:

Weight-Classes; Male - 63,5 Kg; -75 Kg; +91 Kg Female - 52 Kg; -60 Kg; -70 Kg

In each weight class 8 fighters representing 8 different countries will participate.

The Board of Directors has also approved by majority the same qualification criteria of previous edition (Wroclaw 2017) for participation to the World Games 2021 as follows:

Qualifications and Quota;

Qualifications for IWGA World Games 2021 will be at the 2020 WAKO Continental Championships which will be organized by each WAKO Continental Federation/Confederation during 2020:

WAKO European Championships 2020 Antalya, Turkey - October 10 th – 18th WAKO Asian Championships 2020 South Korea – Dates TBC WAKO Pan American Championships 2020 Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, 11th – 15th November

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WAKO African Championships 2020 Pretoria, South Africa, July 25th – 26th K1 + Tatami Sports Yaounde, Cameroon, April 21st – 26th Full Contact – Low Kick WAKO Oceania Championships 2020 Canberra, Australia, April 17th – 18th

To ensure that all Continents will be represented by the best athletes in each weight class, athletes will be selected as follows;

WAKO Europe 4 athletes in each K-1 weight class (first, second and 2 third places from WAKO European Championships 2020)

WAKO Asia 1 athlete in each K-1 weight class (first place from WAKO Asian Championships 2020) WAKO Pan America 1 athlete in each K-1 weight class (first place from WAKO Pan American Championships 2020.

WAKO Africa 1 athlete in each K-1 weight class (first place from WAKO African Championships 2020)

Additional Split Quota WAKO Asia/Pan America/Oceania;

Asia Panam Oceania 75kg men to Asia 63.5kg men to Panam +91kg men to Oceania 70kg women to Oceania 52kg women to Panam 60kg women to Asia

What happens in case of substitution? (Once the 6 athletes were selected as per above indicated qualification)

If an athlete pulls out from one of the 6 categories due to injury, doping violation, retirement or any other reason whatsoever, the following process will be applied;

1. First priority given to USA the Host Country (if no USA fighter is already qualified in that weight category where the place becomes available).

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2. Second priority is granted systematically to WAKO Asia with the responsibility to select an athlete among WAKO Asia athletes that competed in the Continental Championships qualifiers.

3. Notice Period, in the event of a vacant position the following timelines will apply a. Greater than two months prior to event, the Continental Federation must notify TD of replacement athlete within two weeks of written notice. b. Less than two months, prior to event, the Continental Federation must notify TD of replacement athlete within two weeks of written notice. c. Less than two months, Continental Federation must notify TD of replacement athlete within one weeks of written notice.

4. Failure to remain within timelines, will mean a wild card is used.

Refereeing; Only 12 A class WAKO IF invited referees allowed to attend, who have attended the screening process at World Cups. Based on same selection and screening criteria as per previous The World Games in Wroclaw.

WAKO Contact Point; For any clarification you may need you can contact, Mr. Romeo Desa, as Competition Manager for Kickboxing TWG Birmingham 2021: [email protected]

Further information and details on TWG Birmingham 2021 will follow as soon as possible.

Respectfully Yours,

Roy Baker WAKO President

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