Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo are the three cities bidding to host the 2020 Olympics while karate are one of one of eight sports bidding to make the programme for the Games.

Karate are currently bidding against baseball/softball, climbing, karate, roller sport, squash, wakeboard, wrestling and wushu for a single spot on the programme at the 2020 Olympics.

Turkey, Spain and Japan demonstrated their support for the bid at the recent 31st "Villa de Madrid" International Karate Tournament in Spain with WKF President Antonio Espinós also in attendance.

The next major milestone in the bid race for the 2020 Olympics will be on May 29 in St Petersburg when all eight bids will present to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board before it is announced which bids will be put on the shortlist.

It is expected that only three of the eight sports will remain on the shortlist and go through to the full IOC vote at the Session in Buenos Aires in September.

The Session in the Argentinian capital will also see the host city for the 2020 Olympic Games elected by the IOC.

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