Karate Included in 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo

Eric Rossini is the owner and sensei of Massdojo, a large karate program located in Westborough and Westford, Massachusetts. A three time national champion himself, Eric Rossini has coached over 50 national champions and has led his team to over 500 national medals. In 2016, the International Olympic Committee officially included karate as a sport for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

For several decades, karate champions and advocates have been lobbying the International Olympic Committee to include karate as an official Olympic sport. All of their efforts finally came to fruition when the committee agreed to incorporate kata and kumite events in the 2020 Tokyo games. 

Ten males and ten females will compete in kata events, which demonstrate karate forms. Each athlete will choose a sequence from 98 different options that are recognized by the World Karate Federation. As an athlete proceeds through the series of offensive and defensive movements, they are judged on strength, speed, rhythm, balance and power of strikes and kicks, proper expression of technique, and fluidity of motion. Judges also analyze contrasts in movement such as slow/fast and weak/strong motions.

Kumite or sparring competitions will include 60 athletes. Two opponents face one another in an 8 meter by 8 meter area. Participants aim to land a series of striking, kicking, and punching blows with energy and precision. Judges will look for excellent form, power, and control, awarding points to each participant based on their performance. A competitor wins when he or she earns eight more points than his or her opponent.