WAKO was established as "World All Style Karate Organization"
The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (W.A.K.O or WAKO) is an international kickboxing organization counting over 120 affiliated countries representing all five continents.[1] WAKO is a major governing body of amateur kickboxing and is responsible for the development of kickboxing worldwide. The organization was officially recognized as an official kickboxing governing body by Sport Accord.[2] WAKO is recognized by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).[3][4]
WAKO became a member of Sport Accord and was officially recognized as the official Kickboxing governing body by Sport Accord,[2]Olympic Council of Asia, WADA and the International World Games Association. Kickboxing is included in World Combat Games, Asian Indoor Games, and the Martial Arts Games (promoted by OCA) in the 2017 International World Games. WAKO has five continental divisions functioning under the auspices of the WAKO International Federation which are WAKO Europe, WAKO Pan America, WAKO Asia, WAKO Oceania and WAKO Africa. WAKO hosts its ordinary General Assemblies in Antalya, Turkey.[7]
In 1991, WAKO PRO was officially established during a WAKO Board meeting in Spain. After a their career as amateurs in the organization, fighters were now able to continue as professional fighters in WAKO Pro.[8]
Olympic recognition
On the 20th of July 2021, the International Olympic Committee officially recognised kickboxing as an Olympic sport, and recognised WAKO as the world governing body for the sport.[9][3][4]
Styles
WAKO supports 7 different styles, four on the tatami and three in the ring.[10]
Tatami sports
Musical form
A musical form is a staged or imaginary fight against one or more opponents in which the performer uses techniques from Oriental Martial Arts to personally selected music.
Point fighting
Also known as semi-contact, point fighting is a discipline where two contestants fight with the primary goal of scoring defined points. All strikes are controlled; full force is prohibited.
Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches and kicks. Striking is allowed only above the waist.
Foot sweeps are allowed.
Elbows and knees are forbidden.
Clinch fighting and throws are forbidden.
Light contact
In the past, light contact was seen as an intermediate stage between semi contact and full contact kickboxing. Modern Light Contact has evolved into its own unique style of fast and dynamic continuous kickboxing. Unlike Point Fighting, athletes will fight continuously amassing scores over 3x2 minute rounds. All strikes are controlled; full force is prohibited.
Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches and kicks. Striking is permitted above the waist and below ankle/mid-calf.
Foot sweeps are allowed.
Elbows and knees are forbidden.
Clinch fighting and throws are forbidden.
Kick-light
Kick-light is an intermediate stage between semi-kick and low-kick kickboxing. All strikes are controlled; full force is prohibited.
Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches and kicks. Kicks striking the thigh (only from outside to inside and vice versa) are permitted.[11]
Foot sweeps are allowed.
Elbows and knees are forbidden.
Clinch fighting and throws forbidden.
Ring sports
Full contact
Full contact is a discipline of kickboxing where the intention is to mimic the pressure felt during a real fight.
Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches and kicks, striking above the waist and below the ankle/mid-calf.
Foot sweeps are allowed.
Elbows and knees are forbidden.
Clinch fighting and throws are forbidden.
Low-kick
In low-kick Kickboxing, there is the possibility of attacking the opponent's legs with clean kicks.
Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches and kicks, striking the thigh (only from outside to inside and vice versa) which can be attacked using the shin.
Foot sweeps are allowed.
Elbows and knees are forbidden.
Clinch fighting and throws forbidden.
K1-style
Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches, knees and kicks. Legs and any other part of the body can be attacked using the shin.
Foot sweeps are forbidden.
Elbows are forbidden.
Throws are forbidden.
Clinching must be less than 5 seconds. Kickboxers are allowed to hold the opponent's neck with both hands in order to attack only with the knee and are only allowed one knee strike per clinch.
Competitions
WAKO holds a world championship every two years, with youth (18 and under) and adult (18–45) championships in separate years; only national teams are accepted. Each member country can present only one competitor in each weight class. Competitors are commonly the national champion of their weight class in that particular Kickboxing style and many are also officially recognized by their National Olympic Committees or Ministry of Sports.
WAKO Kickboxing was one of thirteen combat sports participating in the first Combat Games being held in Beijing, China under the patronage of the IOC and SportAccord. WAKO participated in the World Combat Games in St. Petersburg, Russia in September 2013, under the patronage of the IOC and SportAccord. There were three styles at the Combat Games: Low Kick, Points Fighting (formally called Semi Contact), and Full Contact.
K-1 Rules World Champions
The list includes Wako Pro K-1 Rules world title holders. (title defenses are not included).[12]
(Thai Boxing titles until 2007 (not to be confused with Muay Thai titles)
Super Heavyweight
Mark Russell - 2003 Defeats Sinisa Andrejasvic; renamed K-1 Rules title in 07; still listed as champion as of 07-06-12.
Djamal Kasymov - 2007
Sebastien Van Thielen - 2009 Defeats Paolo Reverberi.
Tony Palmore - 1978, Wins the gold medal at WAKO World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Tom Rissman in the final, and is also billed as the world heavyweight champion in professional matches; also defeats PKA champion Demetrius Edwards on 80-10-16 in Miami, FL, USA in what is billed as a match to crown the "undisputed" champion
Billed as the super lightweight title (62kg) until 2017-05.
Julya Kiblawi - 2004-04-29 Welterweight title with 64kg limit; still champion as of 05-06-07; the 64kg division retired in sometime before 06-05-02; welterweight division (66kg) is listed as vacant as of 06-05-02 and 07-06-18.
Sanja Stunja - 2005 Super lightweight champion (62kg); still champion as of 07-09-15.
Julia Irmen - 2009 Defeats Barbara Seweryn.
Olja Žerajić - 2010 62kg division renamed welterweight in 2017.
Women’s Lightweight
Svetlana Linovieva - 2005
Thea Therese Næss - 2010 Defeats Barbara Plazzoli.
The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations on Monza, February 6, 2020, signed contracts with two sponsors for the next four years concerning its protecting equipment and clothing. The winning proposal came from Top Ten and Adidas Kickboxing, two worldwide brands within the sports market.[13][14]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
