Following years of disagreement, the Irish karate team is to be organised under one national governing body.
Ireland is sending a team to compete in the European Karate Championships in Munich taking place in June 1983.
Although we have competed before this time the team will be organised by one national governing body.
Four different styles of karate will be represented. There will be a men's team, a women’s team and a junior section.Different karate bodies select their best representatives and they come together under the Irish Karate Control Board as the Irish national squad team. Secretary of the Irish Karate Control Board Des Tracy explains, there will be two or three months training before the championships.
The best selection is made from the national squad rather than from any individual style.
Over the past 10 to 15 years karate had seen many different regulatory bodies supposedly being the representative body for the sport in Ireland. Many of them have approached Cospoir the National Sports Council,
Trying to get recognition for whatever organisation they belong to.
After reviewing the situation, Cospoir has decided to recognise two governing bodies for karate in Ireland. They have suggested each body puts forward two people and with the addition of two members of the government they will form,
A new umbrella organisation to absolutely govern karate in this country.
This organisation would be sponsored by Cospoir to send teams to competition.
The national team would be selected from every organisation in the country rather than organisations that just felt they were the people to select a team.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 10 May 1983. The reporter is Brian O'Connell.
