World Association of Kickboxing Organizations

The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (W.A.K.O or WAKO) is an international organization of kickboxing. The governing body of amateur kickboxing certified by WAKO is created to develop support and govern at an amateur level In addition to holding world championship events, WAKO sanctions the champions of kickboxing. WAKO is the only organisation worldwide that is recognised by the GAISF (Global Association of Sports Federations) and the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
WAKO amateur logo
AbbreviationWAKO
Formation1976
TypeFederation of national associations
Legal statusActive (as per Swiss Law as founded in Zurich on February 6, 1988)
PurposeGlobal Development and governance of the sport of Kickboxing
HeadquartersItaly
Location
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
National association
Official language
English
AffiliationsSportAccord
WADA International World Games Association
Websitewww.wakoweb.com/en/
RemarksWAKO was established as "World All Style Karate Organization".

History

WAKO originated in Europe in 1976[1] and formulated the rules and regulations for the new fighting sport de facto, acting as the Kickboxing Federations of the World. It was founded by American Kickboxing promoter Mike Anderson, and his friend, German Kickboxing promoter Georg Brueckner. WAKO's rules are based on democratic principles and are forming the governing body of the sport that is officially registered in Zurich, Switzerland. WAKO is the largest unified kickboxing organization in the world. In 2006 the International Amateur Kickboxing Sports Association (I.A.K.S.A) and WAKO merged under the umbrella of WAKO, making its acceptance possible by the General Association of International Sports Federations (G.A.I.S.F) as the governing body for the sport of Kickboxing.[2] WAKO offers 7 different styles: Points Fighting, light-contact, full-contact, kick-light, low-kick, K1-style, and musical forms. Today WAKO can count on 126 affiliated nations in the five continents, with 95 officially recognized by their respective Sports or Olympic Council.

WAKO is a member of Sport Accord and is officially recognized as the official Kickboxing governing body by Sport Accord, 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.

Styles

WAKO supports 7 different styles: four of them are on the tatami and three of them are in the ring,[3]

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 and using controlled legal techniques without using full force.

  • Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches and kicks. striking above the waist.
  • Foot sweeps are allowed.
  • Elbows and knees are forbidden.
  • Clinch fighting and throws are forbidden.

Light Contact

Light Contact in the past was recognised as an intermediate stage between semi contact and full contact Kickboxing. Modern Light Contact has evolved into its own unique style fast and dynamic continuous kickboxing. Unlike Point Fighting, athletes will fight continuously amassing scores over 3x2 minute rounds.

  • Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches and kicks. striking 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.

  • 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.

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 full contact 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

See K-1.

  • Opponents are allowed to hit each other with punches and kicks. Legs and any other part of the body can be attacked using the shin.
  • Foot sweeps are allowed.
  • Elbows on the head 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. You are only allowed one knee strike per clinch exchange.

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.

Notable WAKO Pro world champions

See also

References
  1. "About W.A.K.O".
  2. "SportAccord Members".
  3. "WAKO rules and regulations". Retrieved 2016-09-03.
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