The British Karate Federation (BKF) is facing an internal crisis after expelling the English Karate Federation (EKF) for changing its legal status without approval. This decision has led to a vote of no confidence in BKF President Roger Williams by the home nations (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland) and raised questions about the BKF's legitimacy, as the Northern Ireland Karate Board (NIKB) and the Scottish Karate Federation have not endorsed the BKF's actions. The BKF now recognizes EKNGB Ltd as the governing body for karate in England, a move contested by athletes and coaches who support the EKF and have appealed to the World Karate Federation (WKF) to maintain cooperation with the EKF. The EKF asserts it remains the recognized body in England by European and world bodies.

Bruno Verfaillie resigned as President of the French Karate Federation after Francis Didier, the former president, admitted to financial and administrative misconduct, including using federation funds to support Verfaillie's election campaign. The CNOSF refused to recognize the election and is now overseeing the election process, while the Ministry of Sports investigates the federation's finances. Despite the scandal, Antonio Espinós appointed Verfaillie to the executive board of the European Karate Federation. Didier's influence network remains, with concerns over Philippe Dherbecourt's continued role.

World Karate Federation (WKF) officials met with the Choi-Lawrence family in Brisbane to discuss karate's potential inclusion in the 2032 Olympic Games. The meeting, led by WKF CEO Sara Wolff and Secretary General Toshihisa Nagura, highlighted the multi-generational strength and community impact of karate in Australia. Georgie Lawrence, 21, secured her third Oceania title at the 2025 OKF Senior Karate Championships. Her sister, Lucy Choi-Lawrence, 15, earned a bronze medal at the Cadet Continental Championships in New Caledonia. Nielsen Sports indicates nearly three million Australians are interested in karate, with close to 200,000 participating annually.

An open letter from the World Union of Karate-Do Federations (WUKF) questions the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s decision to grant exclusive authority to the World Karate Federation (WKF) for karate's representation at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, excluding millions of young athletes from other federations (WUKF, ITKF, IKO). The letter argues this violates the Olympic Charter's principles of fairness and equal access, urging the IOC to reconsider its stance and foster a more inclusive system that recognizes the diversity within the sport and engages with other federations.

Ali Sofuoglu, a Turkish karate athlete and Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist, has been banned for two years (March 31, 2025 - March 30, 2027) due to three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period, violating WKF anti-doping rules. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed Sofuoglu's request for provisional measures, upholding the ban. All results from October 11, 2023, are disqualified. Damián Quintero stands to gain gold medals from the 2023 World Championships and 2024 European Championships if the sanction is upheld, as Sofuoglu's sanction does not impact the Turkish national team.