History of WAKO

The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) was started in Europe in 1976 by Georg Bruckner — from Berlin — considered a revolutionary in the world of martial arts, who closed the gap between traditional karate and full-contact karate. 

Since 1984, WAKO has been led by Italy's Ennio Falsoni , a former WUKO (World Union of Karate-Do Organizations) world karate championship runner-up (1972), who had a more "open" mind and fewer preconceptions, making WAKO the most highly recognised amateur federation in Kickboxing. 

Since its' beginning, WAKO added new styles to the original two styles of Karate; light and full-contact, while at the same time refining its rules and regulations. 
Picture
Georg F. Brueckner (left) with the American Karate Champion Johnny Kuhl before training in Berlin (about 1970)
Picture
Ennio Falsoni

WAKO Kickboxing - Today

Kickboxing is a modern contact fighting sport created on the basis of many traditional combat sports and martial arts. Kickboxing is a unique Western response to many Eastern martial arts. It can be practiced on competitive or recreational level depending on the aspirations of the kickboxer, but for sure it is a sport designed to improve your overall health, strength and endurance.
Today WAKO counts on 128 affiliated nations in 5 continents, which are officially recognized by either National Olympic Committee or relevant National Government Sports Authority.

Nowadays there are more than 4,000,000 practitioners in more than 40,000 clubs all over the globe. WAKO is promoting Bi-Annual Continental and World Championships (in all seven disciplines) and organizes World and Continental Cups, and Open tournaments.

WAKO Kickboxing - 7 Disciplines

WAKO kickboxing has 7 competitive disciplines, three ring and four tatami disciplines.

Ring Disciplines

  1. Full Contact
  2. Low Kick
  3. K-1 Rules

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​Fighting area is the ring. Each bout consists of three two minute rounds with a minute break between each round.
The intention of kickboxer is to defeat his opponent with legal techniques which must be delivered with full power.

Tatami Disciplines

  1. Light Contact
  2. Point Fighting
  3. Kick Light
  4. Musical Forms (with and without weapons)
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Fighting area is the tatami. The intention of kickboxer is to defeat his opponent with legal techniques which must be delivered with controlled power. Each round is two minutes with a minute break between the rounds but number of rounds is different and it depends of the discipline.

WAKO Official Recognition

WAKO is officially recognised by;
  • GAISF - former SportAccord (Global Association of International Sports Federations)
  • IWGA (International World Games Association)
  • AIMS ( Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport)
  • FISU (International University Sports Federation)
  • WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency)
  • CIFP (International Fair Play Organization)
  • Peace and Sport
  • IWG (International Working Group of Women in Sport)
  • OCA (Olympic Council of Asia)

As the World Kickboxing governing body responsible for creating, interpreting, managing, coordinating, improving, promoting and organizing activities in all 5 Continents, WAKO has to fulfill the goal of hundred thousand of kickboxers in the World, to be recognized by the International Olympic Committee and integrated into the IOC movement. WAKO ensured development in-line with the Olympic Movement and its various Charters, whose principles are integrated into all documents and policies of WAKO organization

WORLD
CONTINENTAL DIVISIONS

WAKO-Accredited

All of our Kickboxing Fitness Programmes are accredited by WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations) - the international organization of kickboxing, and the governing body of Amateur Kickboxing Sport certified by GAISF (Global Association of International Sport Federations), formerly known as SportAccord