Henka Ryu Blog

I’m blogging again.
Naturally, that means English Karate Unification is once again back on the agenda.
Once again the impending prospect of unification makes me happy. Once again the stick-in-the-mud obstinacy of an obstructive old guard makes me despondent.
I have been involved to varying degrees with previous failed attempts to unify. The realist at this point would say; “Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard it all before. History proves this is a lost cause. Leave them all to it.”
Unfortunately, I am an optimist who dearly wants to see karate administered professionally, and believes and hopes that karate can be brought together under the single banner of a common cause - to manage and promote this fine and noble pursuit of ours to the benefit of its practitioners and the wider public.
This time around four bodies were invited by the Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA- formerly the CCPR) to join talks: Karate England, whose lead members include the KUGB and Shikon; FEKO, a long standing federation with many august officers from both traditional and sporting traditions; the AMA (to which my club is affiliated) a multi-style large and disparate group of karateka; and the WKF-mandated English Karate Federation.
Three of the four groups have announced on their websites the establishment of the umbrella body to be called the ”English Karate Council”. (As an aside the name is not a new one- indeed I competed in the EKC National Championships at Crystal Palace in the late eighties, when the EKC rivalled the English Karate Board for NGB status.) The fourth body, EKF however has withdrawn from the talks, and no statement appears on their website.
In an instance of déjà vu it seems that WKF statute 21.9 is to be blamed; “because the EKF now consider that their participation in the new body would result in the withdrawal of the WKF mandate and this result was not acceptable to the EKF Board”. I choose my words carefully because I truly believe this to be a lame excuse by certain members of the EKF board. They claim that the WKF’s statutory ban on “sporting relations” with “dissenting groups” would be compromised.

Firstly, however draconian an “old boys’ club” the WKF board might be I do not believe that there cannot be found a statutorily acceptable arrangement by which the WKF representative could also be represented on the National Governing Body. Indeed a number of commentators have already suggested possible solutions to that conundrum. Furthermore it is my understanding that such arrangements already exist in other WKF member countries, where some members openly compete in WUKF, WUKO, and WKF tournaments, with either the overt, or at least tacit consent of the WKF. Secondly, as a former EKF member, I can vouchsafe the fact that there are members within the EKF who would welcome recognition by Sport England (not least for the funding opportunities recognition might bring). I cannot believe that the full EKF membership has been consulted on their boards decision to refuse to join the party.

I take some comfort from the EKC statement that; “the door is always open for them to rejoin at any time”, and urge the EKF board to reconsider. Not all English karateka wish to compete, but all English karateka deserve the dignity of recognition and support of the national sporting Governing Body.

I had a long, amicable conversation with Darwen Karate Club’’s Wright Shaw. In the light of fascinating stories of early karate endeavours, I am now revoking Tower Shukokai’’s claim to be Darwen’’s oldest, and am actively pursuing evidence to support DKC’’s claim to have been founded in 1956. Even if this cannot be proven it is apparent that the Wado Ryuclub was in the vanguard of karate’’s development in Europe.

AMA’’s Peter Allen has resigned his board seat on the EKF. At the same time the AMA has left the Governing Body, citing, amongst other things, financial irregularities, lack of transparency, an “old boy network” attitude, and, significantly, the decision by Sport England to not recognise their application as NGB. Read the full letter from the AMA President, Colin Whittaker on the AMA website.
www.amauk.co.uk

For a long time I have been audaciously claiming that Tower Skukokai is “Darwen”’’s Oldest Karate Club”, as we were established in 1987.
Last week I got a contact from a local reporter saying she had received a claim from a guy saying that “Darwen Budokai”, formerly “Darwen Karate Club” was still going and was founded in 1956.
I expressed some surprise and interrogated her further. It seems that Darwen KC was founded by one Maurice Ainsworth and, apparently, there is documentary evidence in newspaper archives in Darwen Library.
I asked Terry Wingrove who has all the files from Vernon Bell”””’’s BKF, and no record of any Maurice Ainsworth was found. Further enquiries to Harry Cook - who stated that Bell was an obsessive compiler of all karateka in England at the time - again revealed nothing of Ainsworth. Harry conceded that Ainsworth, if he predated Bell, would probably have had no desire to join the BKF. Nevertheless, he told me Bell was assiduous in his chronicling of all known contemporary karateka, and that in the writings he holds, again Ainsworth is not mentioned.
So, taking my source at face value, I spent a couple of hours at Darwen Library scouring the archives of “Darwen News” of 1956. My endeavours alas revealed nothing. Darwen also has a people archive, and again nothing shows up for Ainsworth. There is another Darwen paper I need to search though.
I have also left messages with the source via both the local reporter and the website of Darwen Budokai”””’’s current parent group, Tegatani, to flesh out this claim.
If proven, Darwen could be the home to England’’s oldest karate club, and one of the first in Europe.
I would be most grateful if anyone can fill in any blanks regarding Maurice Ainsworth.

I have been asked to point out that the EKA website was set up by concerned parents of karateka. I have amended my blog to correct any misunderstanding, and apologise for a previous post that may have suggested otherwise

from the EKA website 29th March

NEW EKF BOARD ”A new begining”
Monday, 29 March 2010 07:54
A new EKF board was elected on 28th March 2010 at the Holiday Inn, Coventry.

Elected EKF Board:

Terry Pottage

Chris Thompson

Michael Billman

Peter Allen

Andrew Genery

Mark Symonds

Steve Copeland

John Moreton

”A new beginning for English Karate”

So “rebel” Peter Allen has been elected to the Board. I”ll let you know more details as they appear

Ok, I accept that the setting up of the “English Karate Associations” website by members of the AMA et al was a bit mischievous, and deliberately designed to provoke, but the EKF’’s response is just petty.
Surely the EKF Board recognise that precisely what the so-called EKA was protesting about is the perceived heavy-handed, and anti-inclusive attitude of the EKF. To publish on the front page of their website a statement that they do not recognise the EKA and therefore members should not support its tournament is shallow and vindictive.
Personally I am not these days a great competitor - one or two Vets” tournaments a year at my advanced age is enough - but I am almost inclined to support this event just to show we independently-minded karateka will not be pushed around. And it’’s for charity. Do likewise and sign up!!

Received copy of an email from the wonderfully-named “Fenton carnaby” (surely a nom de plume?)

Interesting reading:

Dear Editor,

Firstly can I congratulate you for setting up this web-site which gives people the opportunity to voice their opinions and views on English karate. The EKF did have something very similar at the very beginning but removed this once they became the governing body and I understand from people who have written in their e-mails seem to be filed away without ever being seen or replied to.

I have read several times the letters sent to you relating to the Malta Open and find myself disturbed that the BOD ( Board of Directors) has decided not to respond in any way, shape or form. Their silence on this extremely serious issue and the matters arising from it can only leave us to draw our own conclusions.

There appears to be at present a campaign by the BOD to implement Article 21.9 wherever and whenever they can. It’’s perhaps harsh to say all of the BOD, it may well be one individual but nevertheless they have to accept a collective responsibility for all that has happened and is still happening. People are being threatened with disciplinary action and some have already suffered action by way of suspension, I still would like to know exactly what happened regarding the suspension of the AMA, followed by an equally fast reversal of that suspension.

What we do know by reading the letters published on here is a group of disabled children became the victims of this action by the BOD and as far as I can see there hasn”t been an explanation on this action nor an apology sent to the organiser of that event. The word shameful comes to mind.

I find myself agreeing with the views expressed on the Henka Ryu web-site on the lack of a policy by this BOD, especially in light of the heavy criticism by the Dutton report, to make some attempts to unify karate here in England. Week after week increasing numbers of EKF members, officials, coaches attend competitions or courses outside of the EKF, I believe they are sending a message to the BOD that they wish to see a unified English karate and the best way forward is to have these sporting relationships, ignoring the divisive and morally wrong Art 21.9.

Remember the EKF is all of these people and not just the few that sit and meet each month and their voices must be listened to.

There are some interesting words spoken by the EKF President in his annual report, “for those that want to take part in competition, I want our competitors to have access to all the best quality training and opposition”. That is of course unless that competition is not within the EKF and as some of our most successful opposition is contained within KE, members cannot always get that “quality opposition”, and if you decide to seek out that opposition this BOD will take action against you, or will they.

Let me now address the issue of the ”Double standards” being shown by this board and the reason I felt the need to offer my views.

I know EKF members have been disciplined, I also know having read all the information that members are being threatened with action should they attend the competition in Malta and I also feel sure nobody would ever have paid the slightest attention to this competition had this BOD not made an issue of it. I fully agree with the views expressed that if action is to be taken against any person that attends this year then in light of all the evidence put forward sanctions must be taken against every other person that has attended, especially those in “the know”.

By joining the EKF we agree to accept the rules, it doesn”t mean we actually agree with them and at this time more and more wish to see changes to Art 21.9. This seems unlikely at the moment with the peculiar relationship we have with the WKF and our representative whose role is not to pursue our agenda with the WKF but to pursue the WKF agenda with us.

I agree, at the moment we may have to accept 21.9 as it stands but we cannot agree with the selective method being used by this BOD in it’’s implementation of that rule and I think they are guilty of duplicity. If you are intending competing or attending any event outside the EKF I am going to provide you with your defence.

Take a close look at the following web-sites:

www.ilkleykarateclub.co.uk - Using ”Site navigation” go to club events, the important months are Jun and Nov. Ilkley KC is in the SKU and not EKF.

www.surreykarate.co.uk - Not affiliated to EKF

http://skiptonkarate.org.uk/id9.html - Scroll down to June 7th

http://kobushishukokai.com/page15.htm - Feb, June & Sept 2009 are of interest

http://yamakai.org/calendar/month.php?year=2010&month=01

http://yamakai.org/calendar/month.php?year=2009&month=01 - It’’s interesting to read through the whole of the 2009 calendar for these last two, but click on the Jan 2009 and Jan 2010 for the more important information.

We should ask the question what is more damaging to the EKF and its membership to the WKF, is it a few kids attending a competition run by FEKO or Shikon or KE or the National Coach, paid by us the membership, repeatedly ignoring 21.9 by taking courses outside the EKF

The BOD has dug a very big hole for itself and is now faced with a real challenge, should it continue to support Article 21.9 or should it give its backing to our successful and ever improving National Coach.

If they choose the latter then you all have a ready made challenge to any action being threatened against you, and in fact they would be guilty of their own Equity Policy on discrimination and victimisation. Direct Discrimination states “treating somebody less favourably than you would treat others in the same circumstances”. The EKF regards discrimination as “serious misconduct”.

Under the rule of ”Victimisation” a person “will be liable to appropriate disciplinary action”. “All EKF members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity”.

We have to question whether the BOD, or at least a part of it, knew of the activities of the National Coach and simply turned a blind eye or is this another case of “we didn”t know anything about it”. Either way they must accept responsibility for mis-management.

Personally, I have no objection to the National Coach carrying out these courses, like all of us he has to earn a living and I believe we should actively encourage sporting relationships with every other organisation here in the UK. Having said that the BOD made it perfectly clear with Art 21.9 there will be “no leeway whatsoever”, and we cannot sit by and allow them to punish members for minor ”offences” while at the same time doing absolutely nothing to a figure head for the EKF.

Mr Editor, I see you have had no replies to any of the points raised on the EKA web-site, let’’s hope they don”t ignore this, the most serious issue.
F.C

Seems to be considerable unease amongst certain factions of the English Karate Federation.
WKF Statute 21.9 (the one about fraternisation with the enemy) is causing some heat.
Concerned parents have put their name to the “English Karate Associations” website.
I””ll use this blog to update with any thoughts I have, or rumours I hear.
The AGM should be a bundle of fun.