21 Jul Marlon dos Santos (23 years old)

I WAS BORN WITH A MOTOR DISABILITY AND SOMETIMES THEY LOOK AT ME RARE ✳️ It is difficult to face the society in which we live because people look differently than people with special needs, you can see those who feel sorry for people who have a disability, even in the field of Karate.

ADAPTED KARATE SAVED MY LIFE

However, I feel like a normal person, my colleagues respect me in Karate, they treat me as an equal and for example when doing kumite I feel totally happy. I love Karate, it saved my life because before
starting my walk in inclusive sport I had a seizure, then I took medications but the true hero was and always will be adapted karate.

My name is Marlon Andrey dos Santos, I was born in Brazil on December 2, 1997 and I have been training karate since I was 10 years old with Sensei Wlademiro Praschuk Jr. The name of the team where I train is Associação União de Karatê and we are affiliated with the FPRK (Federation of Paranaense of Karate).

BRAZILIAN NATIONAL CHAMPION PHYSICAL DISABILITY

I am currently the state karate champion in the kata modality within Para-Karate (second consecutive year) and I

Marlon A. dos Santos

was already Brazilian vice champion of karate in 2018.This category exists within the CBK (Brazilian Karate Confederation), but, nevertheless, we are also saddened that in competitions such as the Brazilian National Karate Championship the correct categories are not made, the least disabled para-athlete always wins and not to mention the mistakes of changing athletes to other categories of which they are not part. It is very unfair and I hope you continue to make mistakes and do better.

CATEGORYS IN PARA-KARATE IN THE WFK MISSING

I hope that the WKF (World Karate Federation) includes something more complete in the Para-Karate category, physical disability is not included. We are fighting for that and now we have the help of the FPK Para-Karate General Coordinator “Oscar García” who gives us strength and has an active voice in Para-Karate. It is not possible that in
the categories present at the moment within Para-Karate no more categories are contemplated and only a part.

NEED TO TAKE CARE MORE OF ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES

Para-Karate Brasil

Para-sport goes far beyond what already exists and they should take much more care of athletes and also encourage the practice of para-karate and not only look at people with functional diversity as athletes with regular sports. In para-sport and para-karate we Brazilians feel forgotten.

TRAINING KATAS WITH COVID

In this time of COVID-19 I have been training at home through the classes of the Para-Karate Black Belt Project coordinated by Sensei Oscar de São Paulo, who is part of the FPK. This project consists of karate training to improve katas and can be done at home. It is only necessary to have a space to your practice. Currently I am also going to train with my karate class and team using a mask, alcohol and gel, all the recommendations and precautions that are taken are necessary and correctly carried out.

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