#Lockdown: Karate is back
The reopening comes with strict rules which include wearing of a mask when training
More good news emerged in the sporting front in recent weeks as Minister of Sport and Recreation Nathi Mthethwa revealed the perks of the further easing of contact sports.
This included the announcement that karate, a prevalent and hugely supported sport in the Ekurhuleni district, can resume expectedly under very strict rules.
Following approximately four months without any activity, courtesy of the global coronavirus pandemic, the martial arts community can finally return to the place which completed their evenings and made their weekends: their respective dojos.
Jubilant Boksburg Sensei Takis Chaniotakos, who was named as the new chairperson of Ekurhuleni Karate Federation (EKF) just a few months leading into the lockdown, confirmed the news to the Advertiser.
The EKF boss will be making an official statement within the upcoming few weeks on the return of karate.
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Respected karate instructor in the Ekurhuleni region Sensei Chris Anthony said: “It’s good (the return) because we’ve been off for four months; it’s been hard. We wrote a test from the government via Zoom, which everyone who owns a club has had to write before you can open and we’ve passed it.
“The reopening is good but it comes with extremely strict rules which include the wearing of masks by everyone when training, the checking of everyone’s temperature, social distancing and the sanitisation of the club after every training session.
“The trickiest thing is that training is only allowed to take place between 6am and 6pm – it’s a time where most parents are at work and most won’t be able to bring their children. We hope the cut-off will be extended in level two of the lockdown. It’s funny how the lockdown was initially said to last 21 days but now we are well over 100 days,” joked Anthony.
Karate South Africa (KSA) president Sonny Pillay has cautioned karate instructors not to rush and open karate clubs without considering Covid-19 safety regulations.
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