Dear Members, The Asian Kickboxing Confederation is pleased to inform you of the organization of Asian Open Cup 2026 with collaboration of the Kickboxing Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic. Dates: 18-24 August 2026, including competition days Arrival: No later than 18-19 August 2026 Competition days, 20-23 August 2026 Departure: 24 August 2026 (participants may depart freely) Location: Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic Promoted and Organized by: The Asian Kickboxing Confederation, in collaboration with the Kickboxing Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic. Ring Disciplines: Full Contact, Low Kick, K-1 Tatami Disciplines: Point Fighting, Light Contact, Kick Light, Musical Forms Divisions: Youth and Seniors You will soon receive the full information package for the Asian Open Cup 2026. For any additional information, please contact us at the following email addresses: info@wakoasia.com We look forward to welcoming you soon in Bishkek Best regards, Public Relation Department Asian Kickboxing Confederation (WAKO ASIA)

WAKO Chile is proud to welcome athletes, delegations, officials and national representatives to Chile for two major continental events in 2026: the Pan American Kickboxing Championship – Seniors & Masters and the South American Kickboxing Championship – Cadets & Juniors. Both championships will take place from August 12 to August 16, 2026, in Olmué, Valparaíso Region, Chile. This important gathering will bring together athletes from across the Americas, celebrating not only high-level competition, but also the values that define kickboxing: discipline, perseverance, respect, friendship and sportsmanship. A Message of Welcome It is with great joy that we welcome all athletes, delegations and authorities arriving in Chile for the Pan American Championship and the South American Championship. This is a special moment for sport across our continent, bringing together talent, cultures and the true spirit of perseverance that unites us all. We would like to recognize the important work of the presidents of each country represented at these championships. Their support, leadership and commitment to the development of kickboxing make the participation and growth of so many athletes possible. Institutional support is essential for events of this magnitude to be delivered with excellence. These championships carry even greater importance as they award points toward both the Pan American and World rankings, raising the level of competition and reinforcing the significance of every match, every performance and every achievement. At this event, we celebrate not only medals, but also dedication, discipline and the dream of going further. Special recognition must also be given to Pablo Acuña, President of WAKO Chile, whose leadership, dedication and organization have been essential in making this event a reality. His commitment to the sport is both admirable and inspiring. Chile is honoured to host this major international event. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience a country of unique beauty, breathtaking landscapes and a vibrant capital city in Santiago. Beyond the competition, delegations can enjoy Chile’s welcoming people, rich culture and outstanding cuisine, making this championship experience even more unforgettable. We wish everyone an excellent competition. May respect, friendship and sportsmanship prevail. Welcome to Chile, and may this event be a great success. Paulo ZorelloPresident Event Information Pan American Kickboxing Championship – Seniors & Masters Location: Olmué, Valparaíso Region, ChileDates: August 12–16, 2026Organizer: WAKO Chile – Federación Deportiva Nacional de Kickboxing WAKO Chile South American Kickboxing Championship – Cadets & Juniors Location: Olmué, Valparaíso Region, ChileDates: August 12–16, 2026Organizer: WAKO Chile – Federación Deportiva Nacional de Kickboxing WAKO Chile Visa Information If your country requires a visa to enter Chile, national federations must contact the Chilean embassy or consulate in their country directly. WAKO Chile will provide, upon request, an official notarized invitation letter to nations of the Americas to support the visa application process. To request an invitation letter, each national federation must contact WAKO Chile by email: presidencia@wakochile.cl Each national federation is responsible for contacting the relevant authorities and applying for visas in a timely manner. Regulations The championships will be conducted under WAKO IF rules, which can be consulted on the official WAKO website: https://wako.sport/ Event Organizer Contact WAKO Chile – Federación Deportiva Nacional de Kickboxing WAKO ChileEmail: presidencia@wakochile.cl

TO ALL WAKO MEMBERS PRESS RELEASE WAKO and ISF Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen Global School Sport Cooperation World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) and International School Sport Federation (ISF) are proud to announce the signing of aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 22 April 2026, marking the beginning of a new strategic partnership focused on the development of kickboxing within the international school sport movement. This agreement reflects the shared vision of both organizations to promote education through sport, strengthen youth participation, and create new opportunities for student-athletes worldwide. As an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee, ISF is dedicated to organizing major international school sport events, including the Gymnasiades and worldwide school competitions, while promoting the educational values of sport. WAKO is the sport organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee and is the world governing body regulating, promoting, and developing kickboxing across all continents, with a strong commitment to youth engagement and sporting excellence. Through this Memorandum of Understanding, both parties have agreed to cooperate in several key areas: Supporting the organization of school sport events that include kickboxing Ensuring technically high-level competitions through WAKO expertise Appointing qualified referees and officials for kickboxing events Developing educational programs for young athletes Promoting integrity, fair play, and safeguarding in school sport Strengthening collaboration between the memberships of both organizations worldwide This partnership represents an important milestone for the continued growth of kickboxing among younger generations and further recognition of the sport within the international educational sports community. Both WAKO and ISF look forward to building a successful and long-lasting cooperation that will inspire youth around the world through sport, discipline, and shared values.

TO ALL WAKO MEMBERS Dear Presidents and General Secretaries, The International World Games Association has officially unveiled the Sports Programme for The World Games 2029, we are delighted to confirm that Kickboxing is included among the official sports for this prestigious multi-sport event that will be held in Karlsruhe, Germany. This marks another major recognition of Kickboxing’s continued growth and global significance on the international sports stage. WAKO President Roy Baker has commented: “The inclusion of Kickboxing in The World Games 2029 is a proud milestone for our sport and a recognition of the hard work of athletes, coaches, officials, and national federations worldwide. Since appearing at The World Games 2017 as an invitational sport, Kickboxing confirmed its place on the official sports programme in the following editions in 2022 and 2025, and has now once again secured that status for 2029. I am proud to serve as President of WAKO and, together with my team, to work continuously on strengthening the position of kickboxing on the global sports stage. We look forward to showcasing the very best of kickboxing on this prestigious stage.” On last Saturday April 25th President Baker attended the IWGA (International World Games Association) General Assembly in Lausanne, Switzerland, together with Espen Lund, WAKO IF Vice President and General Secretary and WAKO Europe President, who was elected as Board member of the new IWGA Executive Committee for 2026-2030 getting most votes of the board members with 33 out of 39 votes. Anna Arzhanova is the new elected IWGA President succeeding José Perurena López. Perurena was also honored with the title of IWGA Honorary President in recognition of his service and impact on the organization. WAKO thanks him for his excellent service and leadership. Here below the Sports Programme for The World Games 2029: Air Sports - tbc American Football Archery Billiards Boules Sports Canoe Cheerleading Climbing DanceSport Fistball Floorball Flying Disc Gymnastics Handball Hockey Ju-Jitsu Karate Kickboxing Korfball Lacrosse Life Saving Muaythai Orienteering Powerlifting Roller Sports Squash Sumo Tug of War Underwater Sports Waterski/Wakeboard Wushu Additional sports under consideration, pending further final IWGA ExCo approval by 1st July 2026: Baseball/Softball Bowling Racquetball Sambo A second phase later in 2026 will complete the programme, including the announcement of disciplines and medal events, selection of additional disciplines chosen by the host and the inclusion of para-sports. Further information and details regarding WAKO’s participation in The World Games 2029 will follow on due time.

TO ALL WAKO MEMBERS   Dear Presidents and General Secretaries,   By the present please receive the official invitation letter and its related entry forms for participation to the next WAKO World Championship ( All Disciplines ) for Children, Cadets and Juniors , that will take place in Jesolo Lido (VE), Italy, from 18 th to 27 th September 2026 .   You’re kindly requested to pay attention to the indicated deadlines to submit the entry forms on due time:   Appendix 1) - PRELIMINARY ENTRY FORM to be sent by e-mail to: serena@belmondobooking.com and in Cc to: eventi@federkombat.it not later than 29 th of May 2026   Appendix 2) - FINAL ENTRY FORM to be sent by e-mail to: serena@belmondobooking.com and eventi@federkombat.it not later than 17 th of August 2026   Appendix A) - HOTEL RESERVATION FORM to be sent by e-mail to: serena@belmondobooking.com and in Cc to: eventi@federkombat.it not later than 29 th of May 2026   Appendix B) - TRAVEL SCHEDULE FORM to be sent by e-mail to: serena@belmondobooking.com and in Cc to: eventi@federkombat.it not later than 1 st September 2026   Appendix C) - APPLICATION FORM FOR VISA REQUEST    to be sent by e-mail to: eventi@federkombat.it    not later than 10 th July 2026   ATTENTION! All participating National Federations must arrange their hotel reservation through the Local Organizing Committee Travel Agency BelMondo srl . Failure to comply with this requirement will result in the National Federation not being permitted to participate in the Championship.   Additionally, for countries whose delegations require a visa, the obligation to book accommodation through the BelMondo agency also extends to supporters. Upon the specific request of the Italian government security authorities, the same mandatory requirement is extended to the delegations of the USA, Ukraine, and Israel.

BREAKING NEWS   The contract has been signed and in 2027 the best Senior kickboxers will gather in Tashkent, Uzbekistan , to participate to the WAKO World Championships in all kickboxing disciplines! During the signing ceremony, which took place today, April 8, in Bangkok, Thailand,  during the 2 nd Thailand Kickboxing World Cup, another important decision was made: All C class tournaments on the WAKO Calendar backdated to the 1 st January this year, will now receive ranking points. Each fight won in an official division will now earn 2 ranking points for that division. All rankings by continents are available in the Sportdata sector: WAKO current ranking by categories.

2026 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods  and the 2026 Monitoring Program are in force from 1 January 2026 The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that the 2026 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods  and the 2026 Monitoring Program are in force from 1 January 2026. It designates which substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition and which substances are banned in particular sports. The 2026 Monitoring Program includes substances that are not on the List, but that WADA wishes to monitor in order to detect potential patterns of misuse in sport.  The major modifications for 2026 include the following: -        Further examples or clarifications have been added to the following substance classes to help athletes and their entourage better identify prohibited substances:          S1. Anabolic agents,         S2. Peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics,           S4. Hormone and metabolic modulators, and         S6. Stimulants.    -        The dosing intervals of salmeterol have been changed to avoid potential ergogenic effects, though the maximum daily delivered dose remains the same. -        More details have been given about the prohibition of withdrawal of blood and blood components. -        The non-diagnostic use of carbon monoxide (CO) has been added to the Prohibited Methods as a new section, M1.4. The use of carbon monoxide for diagnostic purposes, such as total hemoglobin mass measurements or the determination of pulmonary diffusion capacity, is not prohibited. -        Cell components (e.g., nuclei and organelles such as mitochondria and ribosomes) have been added to the existing prohibition of using normal or genetically modified cells. -        It has been clarified in the Glucocorticoids Washout Table that use of sustained-release formulations may result in detectable glucocorticoid levels past the washout period due to prolonged systemic absorption.    For more info, visit link: https://www.wada-ama.org/en/resources/world-anti-doping-code-and-international-standards/prohibited-list#resource-download

WAKO is fostering participation of persons with disabilities in para-kickboxing and promoting their inclusion in sport activities as a very important segment of their life, ensuring their inclusion in all aspects of society. An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us. WAKO launched the first para-kickboxing demonstration back in 2016, when  five para-kickboxers aged 15–18 young para-kickboxers from Maribor presented their skills during the European Kickboxing Championships.  That same year, Tomaž Barada, kickboxing champion and member of the WAKO Board of Directors, organized an auction of his most significant kickboxing trophies to raise funds for continuing work with inclusive groups in his sports center. In the years that followed, the development continued with the creation of rules and the formal definition of the para-kickboxing discipline, which required a multidisciplinary approach and strong involvement from WAKO’s expert committees. Soon, a dedicated Para and Inclusive Committee was established, with Jesús Equía (ESP) elected as its Chair. In 2024, demonstrations of para-kickboxing were held during the European Championships in Athens, and later during the European Junior Championships in Italy. In the Pan American region—especially in Argentina, Venezuela, and Brazil—para-kickboxing has also been actively developed, with athletes performing within continental championships since 2023. This year, at the World Championships in Abu Dhabi, para-kickboxing competition in technique performance was held for the first time, where athletes were evaluated according to the rules and medals were awarded.

"On this World Kickboxing Day, November 30th, 2025, let us celebrate the strength and unity we've forged together. Thank you to every athlete, coach, president, official and supporter for your dedication and spirit. Together, we have built a vibrant community that transcends borders and inspires greatness in each other. Here’s to where we are and the incredible journey ahead!" WAKO President - Mr. Roy Baker #onewako #onechampion

Women in Sport Committee Meeting Abu Dhabi, November 25, 2025 Athlete Corner • Updates from athletes on current projects and achievements • Discussion of challenges faced and support needed • Sharing best practices and inspirational stories Next Activities • Planning upcoming initiatives and events • Coordination with partners and stakeholders 8 March activities • Proposals: New ideas for celebrating the day • Awards: Recognition of outstanding contributions in women’s sport • Interviews: Media engagement with athletes and committee members • Celebration: Activities to highlight the day Regular Engagement • Two interviews scheduled every month with athletes, coaches, or leaders in sport • Aim: Increase visibility and promote women’s participation New technologiem Workshops • Upcoming workshop focused on AI applications in sport • Topics: Data analysis, performance tracking, and innovation in women’s sport • Opportunity for collaboration and knowledge.

TO ALL WAKO MEMBERS   The WAKO Athlete & Coach Corner will be active at the ADNEC Arena Abu Dhabi (address: Al Khaleej Al Arabi St - Al Rawdah - W59 01 - Abu Dhabi - UAE) welcoming you and your national teams from Monday 24 th to Friday 28 th November 2025 , during the next WAKO Senior and Master World Championship . Please come and visit to learn and share!

WAKO India Open International Kickboxing Cup 2026 We are happy to announce the upcoming  ‘5 th  WAKO India Open International Kickboxing Cup-2026’ .  The tournament will take place  from 4-8 February 2026 at K D Jadhav Indoor Stadium, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, New Delhi, India.   Details regarding  ‘5 th  WAKO India Open International Kickboxing Cup-2026’  are being shared here: