Face Shields Ensure Safe Karate Tournaments
A karate championship was held in Tokyo with new guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In June, the Japan Karatedo Federation called on karate athletes to refrain from uttering kiai shouts at tournaments in order to prevent infections through the spread of droplets.
But in September, the federation said it would approve the use of kiai in the kumite sparring category, if competitors wore protective face and mouth guards as a measure to prevent infections.
On Sunday, university karate athletes in and around Tokyo took part in the Kanto University Championships at Nippon Budokan. This was the first competition held under the new guidelines.
Wearing face guards, participants in the kumite event kicked and punched their opponents while shouting energetically.
One competitor from Keio University said she did not feel hindered by the face guard. She said she could focus on her performance because she was allowed to shout.
