Policies
To ensure a fair, safe, and professionally managed environment for all participating athletes, coaches, officials, and spectators, our organization operates under strict governance frameworks aligned with the World Karate Federation (WKF) and the Union of African Karate Federations (UFAK).
The Mashariki Open is built on the foundational martial arts values of respect, integrity, and discipline.
- Standards of Sportsmanship: All participants, coaches, and delegates are expected to demonstrate exemplary behavior toward opponents, teammates, technical staff, and spectators.
- Zero-Tolerance for Misconduct: Any form of verbal abuse, physical aggression, unsportsmanlike conduct, or disrespect directed at referees and table officials will incur immediate penalties. Violations may result in match disqualification, forfeiture of team points, or complete expulsion from the venue under WKF disciplinary guidelines.
The physical well-being of every competitor remains our highest operational priority.
Mandatory Protective Equipment: All Kumite competitors must wear approved, WKF-compliant protective gear, including hand mitts, shin guards, foot protectors, mouthguards, and approved body/chest protectors where required by age and division specifications.
Medical Fitness & Certification: Team managers and coaches are strictly responsible for ensuring that all entered athletes are physically conditioned and medically cleared for full-contact regional competition.
On-Site Medical Response: A certified emergency medical response team will be stationed at the venue throughout the championship. The decision of the chief medical officer regarding an athlete's fitness to continue after an injury is absolute and final.
WADA Compliance: In alignment with international sports governance, the Mashariki Open strictly supports and enforces World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA/AMA) standards and regional anti-doping protocols.
Enforcement: Random or targeted testing protocols may be implemented. Any confirmed infraction will result in immediate disqualification, nullification of results, forfeiture of medals or ranking points, and formal reporting to the athlete's respective national federation.
Registration, Payment, and Refund
Official Deadlines. Club rosters and individual competitor entries must be submitted the Secretary/Tresurer before the published deadline. Late submissions or roster changes outside the registration window will not be accommodated.
Financial Clearance: All tournament entry fees must be settled in full prior to the official bracketing and draw process. Teams with outstanding balances will not be included in the competition schedules.
Refund Terms: Registration fees are strictly non-refundable once official tournament draws have been generated and published, except in instances where a specific category is canceled directly by the organizing committee.
Media, Image, and Data Privacy
Media Rights: By registering for and attending the Mashariki Open, participants, coaches, and attendees grant the organizing committee the irrevocable right to capture and use photographs, video footage, and digital likenesses for promotional, educational, and archival broadcasting across official web and social media channels.
Data Protection: Personal information collected during registration (such as athlete names, dates of birth, and club affiliations) is managed securely. Data is utilized strictly for tournament administration, category seeding, and official federation reporting, and will never be sold or transferred to unauthorized third parties.
Approved and Enforced by the Mashariki Open Technical Committee on the 27th Day of March, 2026