WAKO WORLDWIDE ISSUE 02 IS OUT NOW! The next generation. One global community. The stories shaping the future of kickboxing. WAKO is proud to announce the release of Issue 02 of WAKO Worldwide, the official monthly magazine bringing together the people, events, achievements and developments driving kickboxing forward across the globe. The September 2026 edition puts the spotlight on the next generation of athletes, following the WAKO World Youth Kickboxing Championships in Jesolo, Italy, where 3,700 athletes from 79 nations, representing 4,874 entries, came together on one global stage. But WAKO Worldwide goes far beyond competition results. This latest 24-page edition explores the people behind the sport, the values that unite our international community and the opportunities shaping kickboxing's future. Inside Issue 02: 🥊 The Next Generation – Celebrating young athletes, their achievements and the friendships that extend beyond the medals. 🌍 Around the World – News and developments from Asia, Europe and the Americas. 🏅 The Road Ahead – Kickboxing's place at the World Games 2029 and the journey towards the European Games 2027. 👩 Women in Sport – Recognising initiatives creating more opportunities for women across kickboxing. 🤝 Beyond the Fight – Para and Inclusive Kickboxing, safeguarding, education and athlete development. 📢 Leadership & Community – Updates from the WAKO General Assembly, coaches, officials and the people helping our sport grow. Featuring a message from WAKO President Roy Baker, this edition reflects the progress, ambition and shared values of an international sporting community that continues to grow stronger. One WAKO. One Champion. One Brand Globally. 📖 WAKO Worldwide – Issue 02 | September 2026 OUT NOW – Discover the stories behind the sport. #WAKO #WAKOWorldwide #Kickboxing #OneWAKO #WorldKickboxing #YouthKickboxing

WAKO has defined the qualification criteria for the European Games 2027, which will take place in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 16–27 June 2027. As in 2023, three kickboxing disciplines have been confirmed for the Games. The official qualifying event will be the WAKO European Kickboxing Championships, taking place in Skopje, North Macedonia, from 6–15 November 2026. The road to Istanbul starts in Skopje!

TO ALL WAKO MEMBERS Dear Presidents and General Secretaries, Please be informed that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published the 2027 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List), which was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) during its meeting on 10 September 2026 and enters into force on 1 January 2027. You can find the major modifications for the 2027 Prohibited List in the 2027 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes. The Therapeutic Use Exemption Program We would like to remind that Athletes who have a legitimate medical reason for using a prohibited substance or method that is on the List can apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) to determine whether they meet the criteria outlined in the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE). Educational resources  WADA has also provided educational resources which can be accessed on the Agency’s Anti-Doping Education and Learning Platform (ADEL), while an Athlete and ASP Guide to the 2027 List is expected in December. We kindly ask all WAKO National Federations to forward this e-mail and information to all of your affiliated clubs and members (athletes, coaches, medical personnel, team officials and other Athlete Support Personnel). Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring that all kickboxing athletes and their support personnel are properly informed about and prepared for the changes to the 2027 Prohibited List. Best regards, Barbara Falsoni WAKO Administration www.wako.sport

Discover the new global identity of WAKO Kickboxing — modern, unified, and Olympic-ready. One WAKO. One Champion. One Brand Globally. Introducing the New WAKO Brand Kickboxing has evolved — and so has WAKO. Representing over 149 nations, WAKO stands as the world’s leading governing body for kickboxing: fast-growing, Olympic-recognized, and united by purpose. This new brand marks more than a visual update — it’s a global declaration. A modern, disciplined identity that reflects the professionalism, unity, and ambition of our sport on every stage — from local clubs to world championships. Built on the values of Respect. Excellence. Unity. Discipline. Inclusion. Honor. The new WAKO identity unites athletes, coaches, and federations under one shared standard — clear, confident, and Olympic-ready. Every color, every line, every design element serves one purpose: To showcase kickboxing as a world-class sport, driven by integrity and powered by its people. ONE WAKO. ONE CHAMPION. ONE BRAND GLOBALLY. Welcome to the new era of kickboxing. KICKBOXING. UNITED BY PURPOSE. WAKO Brand Book WAKO New Brand Logo Files V1

Stay informed with messages and updates from the WAKO President, highlighting key initiatives and the future of global kickboxing. Presidents Corner Oct 2026 WAKO WORLDWIDE ISSUE 02 IS OUT NOW! The next generation. One global community. The stories shaping the future of kickboxing. WAKO is proud to announce the release of Issue 02 of WAKO Worldwide, the official monthly magazine bringing together the people, events, achievements and developments driving kickboxing forward across the globe. The September 2026 edition puts the spotlight on the next generation of athletes, following the WAKO World Youth Kickboxing Championships in Jesolo, Italy, where 3,700 athletes from 79 nations, representing 4,874 entries, came together on one global stage. But WAKO Worldwide goes far beyond competition results. This latest 24-page edition explores the people behind the sport, the values that unite our international community and the opportunities shaping kickboxing's future. OneWAKO #WorldKickboxing #YouthKickboxing

Explore WAKO's Women in Sport Committee, dedicated to promoting gender equality and empowering women in kickboxing. Learn about initiatives, events, and opportunities to support female athletes worldwide. WAKO para kickboxing The WAKO Women in sport Committee is one of the expert’s committees in WAKO, established in 2016, aimed for promotion of gender equality and generation equity in kickboxing. CAMPAIGNS Women in sport Committee is organizing various campaigns for promoting gender equality and raising awareness about global phenomena such as: Emowering women in sport – Her win, Our win climate changes – WAKO for Climate, health - WAKO Women against Cancer, pandemic - Be Positive, Stay Negative, breaking stereotypes about gender roles – He For She, stopping violence against women and girls – UN Orange Day, sustainable development - Plastic is NOT fantastic and many, many others, mostly the ones which affects women and girls in everyday life. All of the campaigns had accompanying actions in occasion of the World and Continental Championships. MONITORING Concerning kickboxing sport, the Committee is monitoring all legal documents of WAKO concerning the position and the representation of women in the decision making bodies of WAKO and its Committees. The focus of the Committee is attainability of the tournaments in the world to women and girls. The Committee also controls management of kickboxing tournaments if they meet the particular needs of women and girls and provide them safety in sport. INCREASE OF PARTICIPATION In WAKO, we already have participants of both genders, and Committee aims to increase the participation of women in all kickboxing disciplines, as well as referees in the ring and tatami, coaches and officials. BRIGHTON PLUS SIGNATORIES On the initiative of Women in sport Committee, in March 2017 WAKO have signed Brighton Plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration on Women and Sport which is a summary document how to develop a sporting culture to grant women and girls equality in sport at all levels of participation. CONFERENCE The Committee organized The 1st WAKO Women in Sport Conference on 18th May 2018 in the occasion of WAKO World Kickboxing Cup in Budapest. The Conference was organized in two parts. The first part was separated in three sections: Introduction of the WAKO Women Committee Chairwomen Mrs. Katarzyna Kociszewska, activities and the future goals. Lecture by Ms. Alicja Sekret, presenter of "Breastfit" the OnkoCafe Foundation from Poland with "Self control- early detection of breast cancer" as the part of the global campaign "WAKO Women against cancer". Expert speaker Ms. Dorota Godzina, former kickboxing champion and expert dietitian with a lecture “Sudden weight loss and consequences for women's health”. The second part of the programme was introduction of Mrs. Marijana Pelevic, WAKO Women Committee member about ongoing Conference of International working group of women and sport (IWG) and the reflection on the activities of WAKO at the GAISF Sport Conference in Bangkok in April 2018. WORKSHOPS The Committee occasionally organizes workshops “How to involve more women in organizational structures in WAKO”. SAFEGUARDING POLICY The focus of the Committee was to create WAKO Safeguarding Policy to cover all aspects of the safeguarding policies and procedures in protecting kickboxing athletes, especially minors, from any kind of harassment during WAKO events. As a result, on March 12, 2022, the WAKO Board of Directors has approved the WAKO Safeguarding Policy of protecting and safeguarding athletes from harassment and abuse in sport. The Women in Sport Committee representatives presents the most important aspects of the Safeguarding Policy during the main WAKO events of the year. Manual Coach Parakickboxing_2025_english Manual Entrenadoresparakickboxing_2025_spanish WAKO Women in Sport Committee workshop 2021_summary.pdf Brighton Plus Declaration Helsinki signed.pdf Brighton-plus-Helsinki-2014-Declaration-on-Women-and-Sport.pdf 1st WAKO Women Conference.pdf useful link: 10-principles-of-the-brighton-plus-helsinki-declaration