Should we move on about Olympic Karate ? Probably. The K1 circuit ? Done. The Dubai Worlds ? Canceled. The refereeing ? To change. The Paris Open 2021 ? New protections, new concept. The OQT in France? Yes but. A professional circuit ? His vision for the future. The president of the French federation and vice-president of the WKF, Francis Didier, has regained his outspokenness and is not lacking ideas...

By Ludovic Mauchien / Photo : Kphotos

How did you react to the postponement of the Olympics in 2021?

We expected it. For us, it was obvious that they were going to be postponed. In the Olympic Village alone, roughly 20,000 people move around (10,500 athletes with their staff). And the pandemic is developing on all sides. Today, we are awaiting the news of whether they will be canceled.

Do you think they will take place ?

It's hard to say at the moment. The pandemic turns with a delay of 6-8 months between countries. China, Europe, the US, South America and now Africa is starting to be impacted. According to Inside the Games and Around the Rings, the IOC speech is to say that if the Games are to take place in 2021, not an athlete would be left behind the door.

Likewise, the Governor of the Tokyo Prefecture, Ms Koike, said that one of the conditions for the Olympics to be held is that people from all over the world can come. This implies that we should have a vaccine.

For the moment, Thomas Bach is consulting and multiplying videoconferences. He will follow the decision made by the Olympic committees of each country. An IOC session is scheduled for July 17. We can expect that there will be some decisions announced, even if Pierre-Olivier Beckers, one of the IOC members, said that the decision would be taken in the spring of 2021. But that seems late to me. I think we’ll know by the end of the year.

The economic aspect is also to be taken into account...

Of course and it also goes towards a cancellation. For the Japanese, it would be terrible. They fought to have the Games. But, beyond the economic aspect, there is also their culture. They don't think like we do. They are islanders. They will not allow possible contamination problems to enter their territory. Impossible !

Their behavior before the virus was already the same. Let's watch them on the subway. They wear a mask to protect the other. We, Europeans, wear one to protect ourselves. It’s a different vision.

« THE WORLDS ARE NOT POSTPONED. THEY ARE CANCELLED »

If the Games don’t take place in 2021, it may revive Karate for Paris 2024...

The Paris 2024 OCOG must already review his card. Before the pandemic, we were in a good financial situation. From now on, we will have to reduce the costs. Example : how could a company like Air France-KLM subsidize the Paris Olympics when they just had a 7 billion loan ? They rather think of restarting the machine and catching up on what is lost before funding anything. We – I mean France - will have problems for the financing plan. The Games have a huge cost. It is absolutely necessary to reduce it. For that, I can give them a hand (laughs).

A tighter budget would not be to the advantage of Karate...

I will tell the OCOG that Karate is not expensive (laughs). It doesn't even cost anything. There is no need for a special building, etc. But, indeed, it can change the whole project. Having the big party on the street... If there is a vaccine, yes, but the time goes quickly. Otherwise... In any case, it would be my proposals to Tony Estanguet knowing that Karate fits into a new economical approach.

Let's come to Karate. For now, the WKF has announced two competitions for 2020-2021: the European championships and the K1 Rabat for Olympic qualification. What about the Dubai World championships postponed ?

They are not postponed. They are canceled. General Nasser (president of the UAE federation) communicated to us the decision of his government, which does not want to organize this championship with 120 countries coming to Dubai. Personally, I say we need to have a backup plan because it's a title that is going away !

What would you suggest ?

You can speak to the past tense. I suggested. If we assumed that Tokyo 2021 will not take place, you have to give impetus to World or continental championships, World cups or... Invent a model.

I suggested to hold the World championships in August 2021, when there is no event. And we would make the news. But, for now, the WKF is talking about November 2021. Well, I don't have the decision-making power, but that would not be my strategy.

« THE K1 CIRCUIT IS MORIBUND BECAUSE IT IS LESS ATTRACTIVE »

We also have the impression that the Karate 1 circuit is moribund...

It’s not an impression. It is less attractive. But it was already underway before the pandemic. I talked with the other colleagues who organized Premier Leagues. I told President Espinos in a meeting that we should be careful. I was told that the competitors wanted to compete. Yes, great but, at some point, you also have to see the financing plan. I explain.

Beginning of 2020. We are Olympic, we have seven Premier Leagues around the world. In Paris, we were full with almost 750 competitors. In Dubai, 15 days later, it went down to 560. Then in Rabat, there were 320 registered. The closer we got to the OQT, the fewer people there were. Why ? Because the athletes who were too far in the ranking had to focus on the OQT and their federations did not want to spend money for nothing.

August 2020. We are no longer Olympic. Why organizing a Premier League between September and December ? And moreover with the new conditions announced by the WKF : 32 athletes per category (instead of 64), a registration fee which passes from 75 to 100 €. We increase the price and reduce the number of participants : the organizers say it is too risky.

What do you recommend ?

The registration fees must not be increased but lowered ! As we are no longer Olympic, there will be granting and sponsoring problems. Let’s just take the example of Japan. Last year, they stayed 3 months in our national training camp with 40 competitors and they paid for everything. Since, I spoke with the Japanese that told the situation was catastrophic. They go back 3 or 4 years in time. This is something that will happen in all countries.

Let’s take a look at Series A. More organizers are applying. Registration fees are very low and they host 1200-1300 competitors. So whoever is a business manager is going to take a SeriesA, not a Premier League that cost money. Indeed, it's fair to say that competitors want to compete. So we have to give them a much more liberal and economic chance to do so.

« THE REGISTRATION FEES MUST NOT BE INCREASED BUT LOWERED »

The first chance will be the Paris International Open next January ?

Before the pandemic, I had already announced to President Espinos that France would no longer host a Premier League, explaining my theory to him. The Paris International Open has always been successful because we are a good service provider. So, we drop the registration fees drastically and we further increase the general services for all competitors : shuttles, meals, etc. I look for funding not to shine but to provide services. Competitors are bound to come. I am more in the logic of a mass competition.

Will the competition rules be different ? Will we see 21st century Karate ?

I remind you that I already brought the red/blue protections, the foot protections... I will try to bring something else. I had new gloves developed, to avoid seizures and, above all, protect the thumb. For the feet, I added a footwear sole and removed the elastic band. This will better protect the toes and athletes will no longer need to put it back on all the time. The idea is to save time and avoid penalties as much as possible. There are two visions : either we continue to increase penalties, or we find a system that makes up for the rules deficit.

« IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ENJOY GIVING PENALTIES ! MENTALITIES MUST BE CHANGED »

Would the rules, and therefore refereeing, be a brake on making Karate more attractive ?

Absolutely. Even without talking about changing the rules, we can already change some things. Have you seen the referees' body language when they give a penalty ? It’s very violent. It looks like they enjoy giving them !

An example : the main referee « shouts » to stop the fight, then he goes to the center, he makes an incomprehensible gesture for the public in order to ask the opinion of the other judges to know if they agree with the penalty. Then he makes a new gesture to give the penalty. It takes 15 seconds ! Imagine the lost time if there are 5 or 6 penalties !

Remember the final of the World championships in Madrid between Horne and Ganjzadeh. It lasted 10 minutes !!! In all sports, the decision is made immediately, we separate the athletes and it starts again.

Another example : an athlete falls and, when he gets up, he touches the line of a millimeter. As he already had penalties, he is disqualified. How are you going to explain to the public that he slipped and, when he got up, he did not pay attention and that his opponent is stronger than him since he won ? There are 150 stuff like that. You kick in the void : some score, some don't… Today, the regulation is not sporty, whereas it should be, it is of authority.

You bring to the genes of Karate : a referee is a teacher, a Sensei in his country. He behaves as such with athletes. Isn't this the biggest work to do ?

Of course. Today there are 350-400 referees on a competition. It's too much ! If you want a professional circuit, you need professional referees. And you need to choose the best ones. There is therefore an economic impact and also a representation impact. The refereeing policy means that a world referee in his country is seen as a Karate master. We have to change mentalities, make them understand that they are at the service of athletes. We also have to do physical tests. As in all sports, they must be in top physical condition.

« IF WE CAN CONVINCE THE PEOPLE... IT IS THE ONE WHICH MAKES THE RULE CHANGE »

Is it possible to change mentalities ?

(Laughs) Well… It requires to make a lot of efforts. If we can convince the people... It is the one which makes the rule change.

How do you see the evolution of Karate over the next 3-4 years ? Should we make a new start ?

I would be in this vision. For the future of Karate, a professional league should be created. It exists in all sports. But this cannot be created without the international federation being involved. We could have a pro circuit, international opens with specific rules, which would be dedicated to having communication, interest and spectators. We should go in this direction.

It’s important to understand how do you get a vision ? First, you shouldn’t stay focused on the problem. You have to close the book, stop talking about it and take care of the future. But until you close the book, you cannot see anything, you are blind because you are always focused.

« WE COULD HAVE A PRO CIRCUIT WITH SPECIFIC RULES »

Your answers suggest that you are thinking of a circuit concept with other federations...

We have to let things happen, let free exchange of ideas. If such a project is to occur, I would rather position myself as a consultant in the organization of the whole system. There could be some Opens in different countries. Today, there are the Turkish Open, the Rotterdam Open... In the US, there is already Las Vegas. One could be created in England or another country.

Is France still a candidate for the organization of the OQT ?

Everything is reset. Normally, the OQT will take place on June 11-12-13 in 2021. We can still organize it but not under current conditions. Costs have to be cut. If not, someone else will have to be found.

We scheduled it in Bercy on May 8-9-10. It was a holiday weekend. We had prepared a great party as in 2012 (orchestra, show...). It's canceled. We had already sold nearly 8,000. It has a cost and, in 2021, we will have other economic priorities.

You seem moderately motivated...

I am motivated to organize it for athletes, and I can organize it with a much smaller pretension, in Coubertin for example. The OQT is neither more nor less than a Premier League in the organization (620 competitors and 4 tatamis). We are talking about cutting cost. Everyone must do it, including the World Federation. We must not engage the Karate country in debt.