World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations ( WAKO ) is the largest international trade association for kickboxing. The WAKO include 120 national associations to (as of June 2012). The WAKO World is a member of the Sports Association SportAccord (formerly GAISF ) since 2006. 2009 WAKO kickboxing in which the SportAccord Combat Games program (new: World Combat Games) was added.
The current president of WAKO is Ennio Falsoni from Italy.
- 4.1 Full Contact
- 4.2 Semi Contact
Foundation
After the founding of PKO (Professional Karate Association ) in 1974 in the USA Brückner wanted to call their own martial arts organization in life. The WAKO was founded in 1977 by Georg F. Brückner, Marc Bigoureux, Mike Anderson, Geert J. Lemmens and other martial artists. In all preparatory meeting in Paris in 1976 and twice in Berlin in 1977 only Brückner and Lemmens were always present. The founder name of the WAKO was " World All -Style Karate Organization". Only later was renamed " World Association of Kickboxing Organizations". Initially, all fighting styles were still referred to as karate. The International Amateur Kickboxing Sport Association, short IAKSA, went along with the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations on October 22, 2006. In 1991, the WAKO -PRO was founded for kickboxing professionals.
Objectives
The major goal of the WAKO was the alignment of their own World Championships and European Championships in full-contact karate ( kickboxing ). The WAKO should establish and monitor international standards. As early as 1978 the first World Championship was held in Berlin.
Battle classes
WAKO
- Full Contact
- Light contact
- Semi Contact
- Low Kick
- Musical Forms
- Kick Light
- K-1 Rules
WAKO -PRO
- Full Contact
- Light contact
- Semi Contact
- Low Kick
- K-1 Rules
- Thai Boxing