Manoj Hazarika addresses the media at Bhogeswari Phukanani Indoor Stadium in Guwahati on Thursday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, May 7: The All Style Karate-Do Association, Assam (ASKAA) will organise the 23rd inter-district karate-do championship at Bhogeswari Phookanani Indoor Stadium here on May 10 and 11.

Nearly 250 karatekas from across the state are expected to participate in the tournament, said ASKAA general secretary Manoj Hazarika here today.

He said players of the four World Karate Federation-approved styles of martial arts would be allowed to take part in the two-day event. The four approved styles are shotokan, shito-ryu, wado-ryu and goju-ryu. Other minor styles, Hazarika said, would also be allowed.

The Indian Olympic Association has “unofficially” disaffiliated the national federation to which the ASKAA is affiliated.

Hazarika said the ASKAA would not be eligible for sending a team under the banner of the Assam Olympic Association to the 34th National Games in Jharkhand if the present situation persists. He, however, said the winners of the state meet would participate in the nationals to be held by the parent national federation.

Asked if the ASKAA would allow its players to represent the state under any other’s banner in the National Games, Hazarika said “there will be certain restrictions because in case of martial arts we demand a certain amount of loyalty from the players in order to maintain discipline.”