VANCOUVER - B.C.'s grand dame of karate, Norma Foster,
has been appointed to the Referee Council of the World Karate
Federation (WKF), marking a milestone in the sport.
A fifth degree black belt with 30 years of karate
experience in Canada, USA, UK and Japan, Foster is the first woman
in the world to achieve status as an official in the WKF.
The World Karate Federation is the body recognized
by the International Olympic Committee as the international sport
governing body for karate. Karate is currently under consideration
for inclusion in the Athens 2004 Olympics.
The WKF encompasses 168 national members from all
Continents. Only a core group of internationally renowned and
respected individuals are appointed to the council which has,
like karate, been dominated by men.The appointment signals a greater
acceptance of women judging international karate events.
Foster, 48, has been a long-time advocate of affording
women equal opportunity to judge not just womenís events, but,
men's events also. There has been resistance in the past to allow
women to judge any international event, including men in general
and male competitors from Islamic countries. However, Foster has
been appointed as a supplementary member whose duties involve
understanding the kata aspect of competitive karate. The supplementary
committees (kata and kumite) work with the council executive panel
of seven members drawn from throughout the world.
Foster has also successfully campaigned for the
rights of seniors to compete in national karate competitions and
while living in Japan , successfully fought for the rights of
foreigners to compete in all tournaments sponsored by the Japan
Karate Federation.
We are pleased that an international body such as
the WKF has recognized the talent and dedication of Norma Foster,
an individual who has spent a life-time giving to the art, says
James Johnson, Executive Director for Karate BC.
Norma has shown talent for the sport repeatedly
in the ring, as a competitor, in the ring as an official, the
dojo, on our executive committees, and in judging many of our
own events.
Foster has achieved many firsts in her career. She
was the first woman to earn a black belt in Aberdeen, Scotland
25 years ago. She is currently the only woman, and one of four
individuals, who holds the authority outside Japan to grade students
for up to 3rd degree black-belt on behalf of JKA Wado Kai, her
particular style of karate. She was also the first woman to achieve
any qualifications in the World Karate Federation. She established
BC Women in Karate and currently teaches her own club in Burnaby,
BC.
Canadian
Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical
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