African Referees Set for a Strong Presence at the World Karate Championships in Poland

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African refereeing expertise will be strongly represented at the 2026 World Cadet, Junior & U21 Karate Championships in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, from 14 to 18 October, with experienced officials from six African countries.

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Leading the African delegation is Llewelyn Rhoda of South Africa, President of the UFAK Refereeing Commission and a member of the WKF Refereeing Commission.

Egypt will be represented by Haitham Farouk Hassan, a member of both the WKF and UFAK Refereeing Commissions, alongside Ahmed Abdelmeguid, Sameh Ahmed, Islam El-Abbassy, Emad El-Sersy and Asmaa Marzouk.

Tunisia will be represented by Mohamed Ali Chérif, a member of the UFAK Refereeing Commission, alongside Rebah Hamrouni.

Senegal will be represented by Fall Ndoumbe , a member of the UFAK Refereeing Commission, alongside Ndao ALYNAR.

The African presence also includes Zoberi Mansour of Algeria,  and Tayeb Hicham of Morocco, completing the representation of six African countries.

This participation goes beyond the number of officials involved. The presence of senior African refereeing figures and officials active within continental and international structures highlights the contribution of African expertise to major WKF competitions.

At Bielsko-Biała, the participating referees will play an essential role in ensuring that competition is conducted in accordance with WKF Rules, with the highest standards of accuracy, impartiality and technical discipline.

The African refereeing presence also reflects the broader development of karate across the continent. Beyond athletes and national teams, Africa continues to develop qualified officials who contribute to the organisation and management of international competitions.

The UFAK wishes all African referees every success and a successful championship in Bielsko-Biała, Poland.

African Karate Union (UFAK)

Author: Ashraf Hassan