He had not spoken on the subject since the announcement last February 21. The president of the French federation, Francis Didier, talks about the non-inclusion of Karate at the 2024 Paris Games, the possible actions and the potential consequences of such a decision.
By Ludovic Mauchien / Photo : FFKaraté / DR
What actions have been taken since February 21?
We contacted Senators and MP’s. The Belt of Hope campaign has been launched so that the OCOG may change its mind. We will continue this campaign until the Olympic qualification tournament (in May 2020 at the AccorHotels Arena). Then, the possibility is to make medals in Tokyo and wait for the decision of the IOC in December 2020.
For us, in Tokyo, the goal is clearly to win medals ! This is one of the facets that will prove us right. The press may take it by saying to the OCOG: "But you did not take Karate while they made medals ? ! This is no sense ! ". The boomerang may come back from that. But it's harder to qualify than to have medals ! The tough job is in the qualification. Once you are qualified, anything is possible.
But... In games, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, that's not a reason to stop the competition. It's not because we're not in Paris 2024 that everything stops. Nothing stops !
If the decision remains unchanged, how do you see the future of Karate ?
It will not change anything. With the Olympic Games, it is the focus that you can have every four years on your sport that is important. But we have a World championship every year, Junior and Senior. There are 8 Premier Leagues around the world, some SeriesA... The calendar is extremely provided. So, we will go back to our core job.
Is not the fear, after 2020, that the federations have less money, that there are less Premier Leagues, etc ?
Of course, it will be necessary for the International Federation to reconsider its registration quotas because, indeed, there will be less interest. But, before the Olympic qualifications were created, these competitions already existed. There was, for example, the Paris Open which, every year, brought together the largest number of participants in the world.
Even if Karate was in Paris 2024, there would be no interest for athletes to go to the Karate 1 after the Tokyo Games since the qualifications begin again only 2 years before the Games, so in 2022.
On the substantive issue, the International Federation would need to make changes to the entry requirements to have the same enthusiasm and the same number of athletes.
Regarding the subsidies, the organization is different according to nations. For us, in France, it is the Ministry of Sports, now the agency, but for others, like Japan, it is the sponsors. That will stop for some nations. And the Olympic Committee helps too.
In any case, the global economy is shrinking. It is to be expected. In Italy, the CONI, the Olympic Committee, experienced a drop of 400 000 € on the overall financing of sport.
On the form of karate, on the regulation, should we continue in the same way ? Or think about another form of competition ?
I have already spoken several times with the President of the International Federation (Antonio Espinos) to tell him that dead time must be settled. What a lost time ! For example : for a penalty, the central referee stops, puts the athletes back in place, asks the other referees if they agree and... He finally gives the penalty. 15-20 seconds have passed, multiplied by 8 penalties...
This change is, for me, the priority. A match that lasts 3 minutes should not last more than 5 minutes. A person who looks at karate, if there are too many lengths, she goes to see something else ! It's a bit like in team sports. These are the changes that have occurred in rugby, which has become much more dynamic and fast.
