THE BUZZ: Karate bidding to be included in program at Tokyo Olympics

Karate is making a push to be part of the program for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
New reforms by the IOC have given karate officials renewed hope that the martial art could be added to the Tokyo games and the head of the World Karate Federation is meeting with 2020 organizers to make his case for the sport’s inclusion.
“Karate is a sport with Japanese roots,” WKF President Antonio Espinos said at a news conference yesterday. “Together with the Japanese Karate Federation, we are doing everything we can to make sure karate is part of the program in the 2020 Olympics.”
The World Karate Federation says there are 100 million practitioners around the world. Karate is hoping to make it after bids for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics failed.