Poland and Russia clash over karate world championships participation

Disputes have emerged regarding the participation of Russian athletes in the World Karate Championships for cadets, juniors, and U21s, currently being held in Bielsko-Biała, Poland.

Russian media agency TASS reported that Poland blocked the participation of 21 Russian karatekas, claiming the organizers refused to register them despite previous announcements that they would compete as neutral athletes under the World Karate Federation (WKF) designation. The Russian Federation of Karate suggested that Poland is acting as a “hostage to politics.”

However, Paweł Połtorzecki, president of the Polish Karate Union, stated that no Russian athletes were registered by the deadline. He noted that while approximately 114 countries were listed, no athletes under the WKF 1 designation (neutral Russian athletes) appeared on the registration list. Połtorzecki indicated it is unlikely the World Karate Federation would allow registrations after the deadline had passed and confirmed that organizers had been in contact with the Border Guard regarding entry regulations.