News Summary:
On July 6, 2026, the World Karate Federation provisionally suspended Karate SA's national executive and appointed an interim board, citing governance issues and pending disciplinary proceedings. This action addresses a decade of turbulence within Karate SA, marked by infighting and legal battles under long-serving president Sonny Pillay. Previously, on June 19, 2026, the Guardian Girls Karate initiative expanded across the Americas following successful activities in Mexico City, including an Instructors’ Course Americas that brought together 23 instructors from 17 countries for training to implement the program in their home nations. Earlier, on May 5, 2026, the World Karate Federation and SOS Children’s Villages International signed a global cooperation agreement to support youth development through karate, aiming to promote physical activity, discipline, inclusion, and personal development. Implementation of this partnership is set to begin in 2026 in El Salvador, Georgia, Latvia, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Senegal, and Switzerland. On April 28, 2026, WKF CEO Sara Wolff attended the IWGA Annual General Meeting in Lausanne, where Anna Arzhanova was elected the new IWGA President for the 2026–2030 term, succeeding José Perurena, who concluded a 12-year mandate.
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