Georgian Officials Show Strong Support for 2025 Karate 1-Series A in Tbilisi
1/14/2025
WKF Structure
The 2025 Karate 1-Series A season kicked off in Tbilisi this past week, with a thrilling event. The tournament held in Georgia’s capital received significant support from local and national authorities, highlighting the country’s growing prominence in the global karate community.
World Karate Federation (WKF) President Antonio Espinós travelled to Tbilisi to inaugurate the season’s first event. During his visit, Mr. Espinós met with the Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Georgia Shalva Gogoladze to discuss the development of karate in the country. The event also had the participation and attendance of the President of the Georgian Olympic Committee Leri Khabelov.
Both Mr. Gogoladze and Mr. Khabelov participated in the event’s awards ceremony, underscoring the Georgian government’s commitment to fostering sports development. Their presence highlighted the country’s dedication to positioning karate as a central part of its sports landscape.
WKF President Antonio Espinós said:
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Gogoladze and Mr. Khabelov for their enthusiastic support of this event and for highlighting the relevance of this karate event with their presence. Their support to this tournament and to the Georgian Karate Karate is instrumental to develop the sport in the country further.”
“I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the Georgia Karate Federation and its president, Temur Gignadze, for their courage and vision in hosting this event for the first time. Their efforts have set a high standard for future competitions.”
The Karate 1-Series A in Tbilisi marked a historic milestone as it was the first time Georgia hosted a competition of this scale, following the success of the EKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships in 2024. The event showcased top-tier talent, thrilling matches, and the remarkable organisational capabilities of the Georgia Karate Federation.
(Top picture: From left to right: Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Georgia Shalva Gogoladze, WKF President Antonio Espinós, Georgia’s head coach and two-time World champion Gogita Arkania, and Georgia Karate Federation president Temur Gignadze)