The city of Bursa in Turkey welcomed the 2020 Turkish National Kata Championships this past weekend. Celebrated under the new coronavirus guidelines, the event was the first Karate competition in the country and one of the first tournaments of the sport in the “new normal”.

Nearly 200 competitors from 68 clubs gathered at the Naim Süleymanoğlu Sports Complex in Bursa to showcase their abilities as the Karate world is slowly going back to celebrate events of the sport.

Social distancing was enforced at all times with all staff members and participants wearing face masks on the field of play. Faces were also covered at the medal ceremonies and warm-up areas. Sanitary procedures were imposed throughout the three-day event, and the tournament was held behind closed doors, with spectators not allowed to take the stands.

These measures were required by national authorities to grant organizers the possibility of hosting the event. Included in the WKF COVID-19 Guidelines which Karate’s international governing body published recently, these practices are encouraged for all Karate competitions while the coronavirus pandemic is still spreading in many countries around the world.