About us
We are the Australian Representatives for the International Federation of Karate (IFK), a UK based international Kyokushin organisation with over 60 member countries, founded by 10th dan Hanshi Steve Arneil, and an international board of directors.
In 1991, before Mas Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin, died, the UK based Hanshi Steve Arneil formed the International Federation of Karate (IFK). He still called his karate Kyokushin, and he still taught it as it was originally taught to him by Mas Oyama. He was the first person to complete the the 100 man kumite after Mas Oyama.
Origins
After Mas Oyama died, a few of the Australian kyokushin instructors decided to avoid the ensuing confusion, and in 1995 chose to affiliate with the IFK rather than with one of the many Japanese organisations springing up. Thus was born the International Federation of Karate Kyokushinkai Australia Inc. (IFKKA). The logo for this organisation combined both the Kyokushin Kanku and the IFK logo.
The International Federation of Karate Australia Incorporated is registered as a community not-for-profit organisation with the NSW Department of Fair Trading from the very star, and from 1995-2018 was known under the name of the International Federation of Karate Kyokushinkai Australia Incorporated or IFKKA.
We have since renamed our organisation to International Federation of Karate Australia Inc, and our current logo, at the top of this page, is simply the IFK logo with the word Australia added. This also makes us consistent with our counterparts in other countries.
For the purpose of simplicity, we will refer to the organisation as IFK Australia throughout the website.
Management
As in incorporated association, it has to have a register of members, a board, a public officer, conduct regular meetings and AGMs, and submit its accounts to the government on an annual basis. All students and instructors over 16 yrs and 4th kyu and up are full voting members if they have been regular members for 18 months or more, and have the option to hold office in the IFK Australia committee structure.
Board meeting in progress
Locations and training
We are one of the only Kyokushin organisations in Sydney's Innerwest with an internationally recognised affiliation. All our clubs are in Sydney: Newtown, Petersham, Wentworthville, Rouse Hill, and Wahroonga.
We welcome beginners and advanced students (no matter what martial art) and we invite other clubs and instructors to join us too. If you would like to train with us, you can contact us via the Locations page, where you can find contact details for our clubs. The clubs usually offer one or two free lessons, so if you'd like to give it a go, just contact them.
If you are an already an instructor in Australia, Kyokushin or otherwise, and would like to join us, here is some information on how you might do so.