World karate legend preaches union of all countries and predicts major achievements for ITKF

Romanian Cornel Musat believes that the current command of the International Federation of Traditional Karate offers a unique opportunity for national federations to regroup, restoring the importance of the sport on the world stage

ITKF News
May 10, 2020
By PAULO PINTO I Photos ISABELA LEMOS / BUDOPRESS
Curitiba – PR

On his second visit to South America, Cornel Musat, the legendary eight-time world champion of shiai kumite, lectured at the ITKF Legends Workshop and was one of the main stars of the extensive program of the 20th World Championship of Traditional Karate and the 5th Interclub World Cup, held from December 2nd to 8th, 2019, at the gymnasium of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUC-PR), in Curitiba.

Among the great ITKF champions who participated in the ITKF Legends 2019 Workshop were Justo Gómez, the iconic Argentine professor, seven times world champion in kumitê, kata and fukugô, and Brazilian Ricardo Buzzi, world champion in individual kumitê in Belgrade (Serbia 2002) and three times world champion on teams in Davos (Switzerland 2004), Saskatoon (Canada 2006) and Curitiba (Brazil 2010).

Black belt roku-dan (6th dan), Musat has already represented Romania in 86 official competitions and has won 38 European titles. A real winning machine, the former athlete talked about his time on the tatami mats.

“I competed at all levels for long 35 years and that phase is gone. I am currently a coach for the national team and I have been in refereeing, ”he explained. The Romanian multi-medalist also assessed the current moment of the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF).

“I understand that the current management offers us a unique opportunity to regroup all the national federations that made up the entity to regain our place on the world stage. We live in a unique and very favorable moment for traditional world karate ”, reiterated Musat.

“Even from a distance, we see that the current board seeks to innovate and proposes alternatives for management. I wish that with time things get even better and that all goals are achieved. I admire the way Sensei Gilberto Gaertner leads the organization and I trust his projects so far ”, said the eight-time world champion.

Discussing specifically the priorities for the sport, Cornel pointed unity as the main ingredient for the resumption of growth in Traditional Karate.

“If all the national Traditional Karate federations come together again, we will certainly be much bigger than any other karate organization in the world. Other than that, and without wanting to discredit any entity, we have put together an infinitely larger number of modalities, which makes our practice more versatile and comprehensive when the subject is fundamentals and effectiveness ”, emphasized the Romanian karateka.

Musat also praised the technical level of the competition and congratulated the promoters of the 20th World Championship of Traditional Karate. “The event was very well designed and once again the organizing committee in Brazil held a great competition, bringing together the best karatekas in the world. Strategically speaking, I think the holding of the 20th World Championship of Traditional Karate in Brazil has consolidated the resumption of growth for ITKF ”, highlighted the eight-time world champion.

Cornel Musat concluded by thanking the invitation made by the ITKF board and revealed his expectations about the future of the sport.

“I competed for a few decades with Ricardo Buzzi and today we are great friends, just as Gilberto Gaertner is now a great friend. I think he is the right person to lead our organization worldwide and I hope that we all have enough common sense to take advantage of this new moment and that we make the right choices. Together we will be bigger and infinitely stronger. I am a traditional karateka and I love Traditional Karate. After all the battle we have fought, I hope that traditional karate wins. It is difficult, but everything that does not have a degree of difficulty is not good! ”