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.

The IOC Executive Board decided to delay the decision on the initial sports programme for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games to 2026, providing additional time for infrastructure review and collaboration with International Federations. The Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee can propose additional events of new sports to the IOC once the initial sports programme is finalised. Several sports, including cricket, netball, squash, and karate, are actively campaigning for inclusion, having met with the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee.