Igor Dyachenko interviews Sonny Pillay Hanshi, President of South African Karate Federation   Karate is the safest sport and hugely beneficial for youth development.   Igor Dyachenko: When you started karate training fifty years ago… What was the situation?   Sonny Pillay Hanshi: Substandard! Substandard facilities, cement floors, concrete floors.  Today we have those rubber mats, we call them tatami.   Igor Dyachenko: So, you paid the toll in order for the current karate sport to be one of the safest sports that is out there.   Sonny Pillay Hanshi: Yes! And I’m very amazed at the manner in which the World Karate Federation (WKF), of which I am a proud officer as a member of a technical commission of the world board, have refined the rules and have made the karate sport culture. Now you have body protectors, the kids have head gear.   Igor Dyachenko: So, karate is very well regulated. The rules of karate are designed in order to protect the athlete.   Sonny Pillay Hanshi: And protective karate equipment, scientifically proven and manufactured.   Igor Dyachenko: Beautiful   Sonny Pillay Hanshi: Very important! So karate is the safe sport! In fact, I tell my karate students: “You have a bigger chance of getting injured in rugby than in karate”.  So, that is why I propagate karate and I aggressively promote it! Why? Karate is safe and hugely beneficial for youth development!