«Azerbaijan has organized Baku - 2015 First European Games at the highest level. We have seen that this success was achieved thanks to the special attention paid by the country's leadership to the European Games. It was given a strong impetus to the work on karate inclusion to the program of the European Games, the Olympic competitions. Once again we want to thank the President Ilham Aliyev for all this». This was said during his opening speech at the congress on the eve of 51st European Championship in Montpellier, France, by the President of the European Karate Federation (EKF) and the World Karate Federation (WKF), Antonio Espinos. During his speech, A. Espinos also noted that the intensive work has been carried out on karate inclusion in the program of the Summer Olympic Games and we can say with much certainty that it will happen in the near future.
As one of the main issues on the agenda of the congress when submitting the report on work carried out in 2015, special attention was given to Baku-2015 First European Games. In details informed about the high level of organization of the games, ANKF officials expressed gratitude to the head of the Organizing Committee of the Games Mehriban Aliyeva, Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov and the Working Group, as well as to the President of the National Karate Federation Yashar Bashirov for the work in the field of karate development in the country.
The Congress heard a number of reports on activity areas of ANKF in the last year. In particular, there were considered certain changes in the status of EKF, announced on admission of one new country - Liechtenstein to the EKF family, consisting of 52 members. The official video presentation of upcoming events was shown at the official meeting. The Netherlands has nominated its candidacy to host these prestigious competitions in the year following the European Championship among adults, which will be held in Baku in 2020.
At the congress, which was attended by 47 members of the ANKF, along with the enthusiastic words about Azerbaijan, has been noted role of participation of one of the world's most famous karate Rafael Agayev in the international seminar, in the popularization of this sport.
Secretary of the Press and Public Sanan Maharramov. Montpellier, France
