Cyprus hosted the 28th edition of the Mediterranean Karate Championships this past week.
On the eve of the historic event, the Executive Committee and Congress of the Mediterranean Karate Federations Union (MKFU) gathered to celebrate the progress of Karate in the region.
Headed by WKF Vice President and MKFU President Bechir Cherif and hosted by the Cyprus Karate Federation President Andreas Vasileiou the meetings recognised the efforts of the National Federations of the Mediterranean countries to organise first-class events in the area.
Nearly 500 athletes from 13 countries gathered in Cyprus this past weekend to clash for the titles of the most-attended edition of the Mediterranean Karate Championships.
The participation records were acknowledged at the opening press conference, as never before such a high number of attendees had competed at the event. The member of the Cypriot Parliament Fotini Tsirides, and the representative of the Cyprus Olympic Committee Odysseas Patsallides, as well as WKF Executive Committee member Davide Benetello, and WKF Referee Commission members Giuseppe Zaccaro and Zitouny Meyout participated in the press conference.
Olympic Games medallists Viviana Bottaro of Italy, Steven Dacosta of France and Feryal Abdelaziz of Egypt also attended the opening press conference.
WKF and EKF President Antonio Espinós said:
“The success of the Mediterranean Karate Championships shows the outstanding work of the Mediterranean Karate Federations Union and especially the remarkable contribution of MKFU President Bechir Cherif. His leadership has been essential to the progress of the sport in the region.
“My heartfelt congratulations to all the members of the MKFU and to the organisers of the event for the accomplishment.”
(Top picture: From left to right: WKF Executive Committee member and Italian Karate Federation President Davide Benetello, WKF Vice President and MKFU President Bechir Cherif, Cyprus Karate Federation President and MKFU General Secretary Andreas Vasileiou, Cypriot Parliament member Fotini Tsirides, Chief Referee and member of WKF Referee Commission Guiseppe Zaccaro, Cyprus Olympic Committee representative Odysseas Patsallides, and Technical Director and member of WKF Referee Commission Zitouny Meyout).
