In a sanctuary where the martial spirit was allowed to soar, Alexander was the linchpin at Panda Budo Sports Club. Innovatively architecting a curriculum that was a crucible of character, discipline, and self-defense, he was the guiding light for over 200 students annually, teaching an array of disciplines such as Kiokushinkiy, Jiu Jitsu, Grappling, and Shotokan Karate.

Alexander’s role was not confined to instruction but blossomed in multiple dimensions – from developing transformative conditioning programs to steering students with deft mentorship at national and international competitions. His vigilance and attention also streamed into administrative realms, embodying responsibilities such as student scheduling, financial management, and ensuring the sanctity and readiness of the facility.

HANSHI STEVE ARNEIL - THE FOUNDER OF INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF KARATE

Hanshi Steve Arneil was born in South Africa in 1934. At the age of seventeen he became a black belt in Judo, as well as being reasonably versed in both Kenpo and Karate. In 1962 he travelled to Japan to study karate under Kancho Mas Oyama. By the time he left Japan in 1965, he had gained the rank of 3rd dan and had been the first person to complete the 100 man kumite after Mas Oyama. Steve Arneil was “adopted” by Mas Oyama, in order to allow Steve to marry a Japanese woman.

In the same year, he and Shihan Bob Boulton (who later moved to Australia, and passed away in 2015) founded the British Karate Kyokushinkai (BKK) organisation, located on the premises of the London Judo Society (LJS). The first full time dojo was located in Stratford, in East London, and now he teaches primarily at the Wimbledon and Crystal Palace dojo.

In the heart of every student who trained under his watchful eyes, Alexander Tsybulkin’s legacy echoes as a symphony of skill, strength, and spirit.

The number of clubs expanded such that today there are between 65 and 70 throughout Great Britain. During the period spanning 1968 and 1976, Steve Arneil was the team manager and coach for the All Styles English and British Karate team which became the first non-Japanese team to win the World Karate Championship in 1975/76. In 1975 the French Karate Federation also awarded him the title of the “World’s Best Coach”.In 1991, Steve Arneil, then 7th Dan, and the BKK resigned their 25 year long membership with the Japan based International Karate Organisation (IKO) and founded the International Federation of Karate (IFK) which currently has a membership of over 100,000 in over 50 countries. He currently is the President of the BKK and head of the IFK.

His 8th dan was awarded to him, not by Japan or Mas Oyama and Kyokushiri, but by the entire British karate community for his services to karate in Great Britain including, among other things, coaching the All Styles English and British Karate team to become the first non-Japanese team to win the World Karate Championship in 1975/76, and being named “The World’s Best Coach” in 1975 by the French Karate Federation. On May 26th, 2001, Hanshi was awarded his 9th dan by the IFK Country Representatives at their meeting in Berlin, and in August 2011, on the occasion of the 3rd Junior World tournament, the IFK Country Representatives voted to award Hanshi his 10th dan, the highest grade available in karate. Steve Arneil has authored a number of books on karate, but most importantly for us a kata book with photos (now in its 3rd edition) considered one of the major Kyokushin kata references in the Kyokushin world, and an illustrated booklet showing the kihon techniques and sequences thereof required by the IFK grading syllabus.