It’s now official: Beijing, after having hosted the most successful Olympic Games ever, will also host the first Martial Arts and Combat Sports Games (that’s the final name) in 2010.
The historical decision was taken recently in Moscow by the 12 International Sports Federation which gathered in Swisshotel under the leadership of Mr. Hein Verbruggen, president of GAISF and Chairman of Sportaccord, the Internationa,l organization promoting yearly all IOC and GAISF conventions.
The 12 IFs are: Boxing, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Judo (all of them already Olympic Sports), Wushu, Ju Jitsu, kendo, Muay Thai, Karate, Aikido, Kendo and of course Kickboxing.
The Games will take place either in the last week of August (but some IFs said it is a too hot and humid period in Beijing) or in the first week of October 2010.
The 12 IFs will be divided in 3 different venues. Kickboxing will be together with Boxing and Muay Thai using the same ring and the same arena. The whole event will last 9 days, with opening and closing ceremonies included. Each IFs will have two days at their disposal to carry out the event.
WAKO have chosen 3 styles to represent at its best our sport: a Tatami Sport, i.e. Semi contact (male -63,69,74,79,84, female -55,60 kgs.), and two Ring Sports, i.e. full contact and low kick (-63,67.72,75,81 male categories, and -52,56 female categories.
All IFs will have the possibility to present a maximum of 80 competitors or there about and a total of 120 people per IF. WAKO will have 4 competitors per weight class, for a total of 84 competitors and we will comply with the request of GAISF by sending a maximum of 36 people as coaches, officials, staff and leaders.
The good thing of the whole project is that all IF will be granted the cover of all their travel and lodging expenses. WAKO kickboxing will benefit of a great exposure, a great audience in Beijing, and that will help to strengthen our credibility so to grow further in the world.
