Antonio Diaz, left, and Douglas Brose, third from right, have been re-elected on to the WKF Athletes' Commission ©WKF

Multiple world champions Antonio Diaz of Venezuela and Douglas Brose of Brazil have been re-elected on to the World Karate Federation Athletes’ Commission following a vote here.

Votes were cast during the Karate World Championships with Diaz and Brose emerging victorious once again.

Diaz and Brose have both secured a third term, meaning they will remain as members of the Athletes’ Commission until 2027.

Egypt's Feryal Abdelaziz, Kazakhstan's Sofyz Berultseva, Hong Kong's Grace Lau, Serbia's Stefan Joksic, Uzbekistan's Dastonbek Otabolaev, Azerbaijan's Irina Zaretska and Switzerland's Elena Quirici were hoping to win a place on the committee.

But Diaz and Brose came out on top and rejoin fellow members Nguyễn Hoàng Ngân of Vietnam, Stanislav Horuna of Ukraine, Vassiliki Panetsidou of Greece and Elisa Au of the United States on the group that is chaired by Italy’s Davide Benetello.

Brose is a three-time world champion in the men's under-60 kilogram category and a Pan American Games gold medallist.

Diaz has claimed two men's individual kata titles at the World Championships, the World Games and the Pan American Games.

Voting for the WKF Athletes' Commission has been taking place during the Karate World Championships in Budapest ©ITG
Voting for the WKF Athletes' Commission has been taking place during the Karate World Championships in Budapest ©ITG

"I am very satisfied with the new electronic voting system for the election of the Athletes Commission and with how the election process unfolded," said Benetello.

"I wish once again good luck to Antonio Diaz and Douglas Brose who, as always, will give new inputs to improve the ‘Athletes' World’ in all its aspects."

The WKF Athletes Commission held a meeting yesterday where they discussed ways to further improve the well-being of karatekas in competition.

They also addressed the situation facing athletes around the world and gave updates on the competition system.

"The karatekas represent our raison d’etre, and everything we do is to make sure that they continue thriving not only as athletes but as human beings who best showcase our values," said WKF President Antonio Espinós.

"You, as members of the Athletes Commission, are the voice of karate.

"And believe me when I say that this voice is always heard, now more than ever.

"Also, let me tell you that commission chairman Davide Benetello does a tremendous job in always defending the interest of all the athletes and ensuring that all the karatekas, wherever they are, find the best conditions to display their abilities."