Karate
On 28 September 2015, karate was featured on a shortlist along with baseball, softball, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing to be considered for inclusion in the 2020 Summer Olympics. On 1 June 2016, the International Olympic Committee's executive board announced they were supporting the inclusion of all five sports (counting baseball and softball as only one sport) for inclusion in the 2020 Games.
Karate South Africa
The Karate South Africa (KSA) is the governing body of sport karate in South Africa. The KSA was formed in June 2005 after the previous body (KASA) was disbanded by the then Minister of Sport. The new body came into being under the supervision of the South African Sports Council. It has membership to the World Karate Federation (WKF) which is the only body recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was readmitted to the international arena in 1992. In May 2008, after three years of ups and down, the interim structure was formalised at a General Elections held under the supervision of SASCOC and the current Executive was voted in. The President of the KSA is Sonny Pillay.
Karate is a martial arts which was introduced in South Africa during 1950 by persons who developed an interest in this eastern culture through reading books and with information received from sailors who visited South African ports. During the early 1960s a few South Africans visited Japan and formally studied the art of karate. This international exposure was reciprocated with the visit by top Japanese karate instructors.