By Emily Goddard

Wilfried Lemke has been named as a patron the Bremen 2014 World Karate Championships ©WikipediaThe World Karate Federation (WKF) has revealed Wilfried Lemke, the special adviser of the secretary general of the United Nations on Sport for Development and Peace, as a patron of this year's World Karate Championships in Bremen, Germany.

Lemke, the former manager of Bundesliga football club SV Werder Bremen and Bremen's former Senator for Education and Science, and Home Affairs and Sports will promote the flagship tournament, which is expected to attract some 1,200 athletes from at least 130 nations to the ÖVB arena.

WKF President Antonio Espinós welcomed the move and said the whole karate family "feels highly honoured" to have Lemke on board.

The 2014 World Karate Championships will take place at the ÖVB arena in Bremen ©WikipediaThe 2014 World Karate Championships will take place at the ÖVB arena in Bremen ©Wikipedia


"The support of Mr Wilfried Lemke is of great importance for the development of karate worldwide and for our recognition from the highest international governing bodies," he added.

"It encourages us to further integrate Karate in the Olympic Movement."

The Karate World Championships will take place from November 5 to 9 this year.

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