The Traditional Karate European Championships are being held at the Cottonera Sports Complex these days.

Athletes and officials from 21 different European countries are taking part in this event which is being held with the help of the Maltese Council for Sport and the government.

An international course for referees in the sport is also being organised as part of the championships.

During the opening ceremony, Education Minister Dr Louis Galea praised the local federation for bringing over to Malta such an event and showered praise on president Iden Azzopardi who is running it.

The sport was introduced to Malta by Franco Azzopardi who is now chairman of the Maltese Council for Sport. He still helps the federation as a technical director. He has represented the country on several occasions and was coach of Omar Azzopardi in 2001, when the Maltese youngster had won the European title with Iden Azzopardi finishing second.