2018: Jai Sanghera Right to Compete at World Karate Federation

In 2018, the WSO advocated for the accommodation of Sikh religious head-coverings. Jaikaran Singh Sanghera, a Sikh member of Karate British Columbia, was in Croatia to compete at a WKF Youth Cup tournament but was told that he could not compete with his patka or small turban.

When contacted by the Sanghera family, the WSO, in cooperation with Karate Canada, advocated for a change to the WKF rules to allow for the wearing of religious headwear for male competitors. The WSO prepared a brief that was submitted to the WKF, along with submissions by Karate Canada, on the significance and importance of the turban in the Sikh faith as well as accommodation policies in international federations for football (FIFA) and basketball (FIBA).

At the end of 2018, the World Karate Federation (WKF) accommodated religiously mandated headwear for male competitors. Prior to the change, only female athletes were permitted to wear head coverings. The rule change, came into effect on January 1st, 2019, allowing all Sikh competitors across the world to wear religious head-coverings while competing.