EAF

The European Aikido Federation (EAF) has been established in November 1975 in Paris, at the same time when IAF has been set up. Together these two unify the organizations in Europe which are affiliated with Aikikai Hombu. Its first President is Mr. Antonio Garcia de la Fuente.

In 1978, the General Assembly of EAF is held in Cannes and the European Technical Committee is established. Some say that these two events have a direct relationship to each other and that they are under the guidance of Aikikai Hombu. Meanwhile, the Assembly held on 19th October in London, has been busy with the problems of the two rival Dutch national organization and the problems between Yasufusa KITAURA from Spain and the new Technical Committee headed by Nobuyoshi TAMURA. In the same time, the current President of EAF, Mr. Andre Gonze, resigns. These are the reasons for postponing the Congress. This period is later called “the revolt of the young sensei” in Europe against Tamura, who had strong positions in EAF. Among these young sensei were Katsuaki ASAI (Germany), Yoji FUJIMOTO and Hideki HOSOKAWA (Italy), Toshikazu ICHIMURA (Sweden), Masatomi IKEDA (Switzerland), Iwamoto (Austria), Yasufusa Kitaura (Spain), Minoru KANETSUKA (UK) and Seiichi SUGANO.

Meanwhile, in the autumn of 1979, Hans Jilli, then President of the Swiss Aikikai and Vice-President of EAF, proposes to all member organisations to vote for the resignation of the entire Board of Directors. The General Assembly has been held on 26–27 January 1980. During the Congress, the Board of Directors resigns together with Mr Tamura. The member countries which remained in the Congress (Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) establish a Temporary Committee/Working Party, as they follow the pattern of the structure of EAF. President becomes Mr. Giorgio Veneri from Italy.

Later on, the Board of Directors, which supports Mr Tamura, summons an Extraordinary Congress in Luxembourg on 10–11 May 1980. This meeting has been boycotted by most of the member countries. Mr Gonze has been elected the new President of the organization. Mr Chasang has been elected Head Secretary and Mr Tamura – a Technical Delegate.

Meanwhile, the Temporary Committee/Working Party set up in Zurich, has been officially recognized by Aikikai Hombu with the assistance of Kasiburo Osawa, then Director of Aikikai Hombu Dojo. Eventually, nowadays there are two opposing organizations bearing the designation “European Aikido Federation” and contending for being the heirs of the first organisation. It is still the same situation by the time when the Congress of IAF in Paris is summoned in October 1980 and it is attended by representatives from both groups. There occurs a dispute about the legitimacy of both EAF organisations, but the impossibility to solve the problem brings the discussion to a halt.

This dualism of EAF has still remained unchanged.

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