JAKARTA, May 10: A total of 17 countries, including Pakistan have confirmed participation in next month’s Indonesia Open Karate tournament, where host Indonesia will field two teams, the organizing committee said.

Committee chairman Hermawan Sulistyo said invitations had been sent to 72 countries, 65 of which had responded. But only 17 countries have officially verified their participation in the tournament.

Those confirming their arrival are Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Hong Kong, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

“I hope that Japan will be able to send its athletes to the tournament,” Hermawan, who heads the research and development department at the Indonesian Karate-do Association (Forki), said of the chance that athletes from the sport’s home country would participate.

He said most of the participating countries would come to the tournament with teams young and veteran athletes.

The Indonesia Open will run for three days starting on June 4 at the Bung Karno Indoor Tennis Stadium.

Indonesia will compete with two teams, called the Buffalo and the Tiger.—PPI