Technical Committee


Maurizio Contipelli (BELGIUM) - Technical Director

Maurizio started karate training in 1966 and from 1972 until 1982-1983 was a member of the national team selection. At the request of Sensei Myiazaki he became a referee. From 1982-1983 until 1994-1995 h was responsible for the selection and the formation of the Belgian referees. In 2015 he was once again appointed chief referee for Belgium. He is qualified as an international referee with the the JKA, ESKA, WSKA and ITKF and is a member of the referee commission for both ESKA and WSKA. Maurizio is roku dan JKA

Malcolm Dorfman Sensei, 8th Dan, captained the University of the Witwatersrand Judo team in 1966, and thereafter joined the University karate club.
Malcolm Dorfman Sensei is the assistant Chief Instructor for the Karate No Michi World Federation.

He was elected as Regional Director of WSKA in 2001.

Dan Grading Examinations:

  • 8th Dan Karate no Michi in 2000: Highest Dan level ever awarded to a non Japanese by a major official JKA mainline Shotokan organisation.
  • 7th Dan JKA Shotokan (Asai Group) in 1994
  • 6th Dan JKA Shotokan in 1986: Highest Dan level ever awarded to a non Japanese by M. Nakayama Shihan, the late Chief Instructor of the Japan Karate Association. (Shadan Hojin Nihon Karate Kyokai -- prior to the split).

Personal Karate Sporting Achievements:

  • Springbok: Member of the Springbok team for 9 years, commencing in 1970. Springbok captain in 1978. 
  • Referee: Chief Referee of South Africa for 12 years, commencing 1982. 
  • Coach: National Coach of the first ever Protea team in 1993. 
  • International Championship achievements: Winner of several international titles in a competition career that spanned 27 years (1967 to 1993) 
  • South African Sport Merit Award: 
    • Awarded in 1979 for personal achievements in 1978 
    • Awarded in 1982 for coaching achievements in 1981
  • South African All-Styles Karate: 
    • Founder member of first official non-racial all-styles karate organisation in South Africa (KASA) in 1993 
    • Awarded 8th Dan by KASA for technical contribution to the development of karate in South Africa 
    • Former official Technical Director of all-styles karate in South Africa. 
  • Status in Japan & Worldwide: 
    • Assistant World Chief Instructor of Karatenomichi World Federation. 
    • Member of the Karatenomichi World Federation ‘Saiko-Shihankai’ (Supreme Master Panel) – one of the original three members.
    • Holds the highest rank ever awarded to a non Japanese member of a JKA-Shotokan mainline association
    • Awarded the rank of A-class Instructor, A-class Examiner & A-class Judge by the Japan Karate Association (JKA) in 1994.
    • Re-awarded the rank of A-class Instructor, A-class Examiner & A-class Judge by the Karatenomichi World Federation (KWF) on its inception in 1999.
    • Appointed as World Cup Supervisor at the KWF World Cup in 2002-2007
    • Appointed by the World Shotokan Karate-do Association (WSKA) as African Continent Director in 2001.