From NASKA President Larry Carnahan:

To All NASKA Members, Officials, Competitors, Fans and Volunteers:

It is with great regret that I am announcing that due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the 2020 NASKA Season is ending effective immediately.  There will be no in-person NASKA sanctioned events approved or held for the remainder of 2020.  This difficult decision was made after extensive discussion and contemplation. This is the first time in the 30-year history of NASKA that we have seen multiple tournament cancellations and the first time we have taken the step of ending the competition season early.   As mentioned, the decision to end the season was not an easy decision, but we feel with certainly it is the correct decision.  It is clear that in-person events involve large groups of people which place in jeopardy the safety, health and well-being of our competitors, officials, volunteers, and fans.  You come first and ending the competition season is the best way we know to assure that we put you and your health first during this unprecedented time.

I know many of you will have questions as you hear of this sudden cancellation.   If your questions are related to NASKA, you can contact me at NASKA_LC@msn.com.  If you have a question related to a specific NASKA tournament you should contact the tournament promoter directly.  All tournament contact information is on our website:  www.naska.com.

The NASKA Board of Directors will begin holding meetings starting next week to make decisions on such things as 2020 competitor ratings, the NASKA Banquet and the 2021 season.  Please give us a little time to have these meetings and to make these decisions.  We will notify NASKA members via email and with social media posts as soon as possible when decisions are made.

Most of your more urgent questions are likely about the final the events that were on the NASKA Calendar:  Battle of Atlanta, US Capitol Classics/China Open and the US Open.  The following general information about each event is as follows:

  • The US Capitol Classics/China Open is canceled for 2020. Registration had not opened yet but if you made a hotel room reservation, it is suggested you cancel it immediately.
  • The Battle of Atlanta is planning to have a smaller more controllable non-naska, ProMac rated tournament for 2020.
  • The Diamond Nationals previously announced the cancelation of the event.
  • Due to circumstances beyond the control of the event, the 2020 US Open will be canceled.
  • The Pan American Internationals and Toronto Tournament of Martial Arts Champions have already made the decision to run as virtual events for 2020.

Any additional questions regarding these events should be directed to the event promoters. Each event may also provide information on the event website, the NASKA website or on social media. Checking these platforms for updates is encouraged.

Please note:  If a tournament is being held in some manner, unless it is Virtual, it will not be NASKA Rated or Sanctioned for the rest of 2020.

We are deeply sorry for any inconvenience this season cancelation may cause you and your family. Please stay safe out there so we can all be back stronger in 2021.

Larry Carnahan | President
NASKA – North American Sport Karate Association

This is a blow to the martial arts world and many of us are scrambling to figure out what this means for competition and martial arts in general. Schools have been hemorrhaging students and there is a question of how well supported future events will be with the possible loss of competitors.

This year started with two strong events, AKA Warrior Cup and Compete Internationals. Some of the NASKA world events have turned to virtual events and are part of a NASKA virtual ratings league. While we all hope for a strong start to the 2021 season, there’s no way to make a definitive statement on when tournaments will be able to run again.

However, even though NASKA is closed for the season and there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding physical tournament, there are still virtual options abound, including the SMA Virtual Tour with the next installment NEXT weekend with the Germ Games! Virtual tournaments are a wonderful way to support your community, keep those skills sharp, and see some familiar faces.

The sport martial arts community is a diverse and passionate group of people with many different goals and opinions. This news is a blow to all of us. But it also represents an opportunity. As a group, differences aside, we thrive on challenges. This is a new one for us. And it’s shaped a little differently than many, but it can be overcome through the same application of focus, determination, and hard work that have led us to success in every other avenue.

Stay healthy and keep training.