Sir Brian Hayes CBE QPM 7th Dan

President (Retired) of England Wado-Kai Karate-Do Renmei

Sir Brian Hayes started martial arts in 1962 as a judoka - practising at the London Judo Society (LJS) under George Chew and Eric Dominy.

By 1970, he had achieved Shodan and fought for the Metropolitan Police and Sheffield University. Following a serious shoulder dislocation, he changed to karate in 1972 - first studying kyokushinkai at the LJS with Steve Arneil and Bill Wright, then moving to Wado Ryu with the late Master Tatsuo Suzuki. He later trained up to Shodan with Jon Alexander in Za Zen, an off-shoot of Wado.

In 1978 he then started to train under Sensei Barry Wilkinson and re-graded to Shodan at the Summer Course in 1980. He has been involved with the UKKW, SKW and EWKR ever since, helping to establish the original Guildford Club and also teaching karate in public schools in Surrey.

In 1999 Brian Hayes attended the Wado World Cup in Japan with Sensei Wilkinson, where they both acted as judges and referees and trained under various Japanese masters, including Master Arakawa. He has led National Police and Metropolitan Police Teams to tournaments in Spain and France and trained with the Mexican Police in Taekwondo.

Brian Hayes was awarded the CBE in 1992 and a Knighthood in 1998 by HM the Queen for services to Britain and to Policing. He was also awarded the Queen's Police Medal (QPM). He is an individual member of the Sport and Recreation Alliance (formerly Central Council for Physical Recreation).

Sir Brian Hayes retired as the EWKR President in 2022 after many years of exemplary service to the EWKR association and karate.

Dan Grade Gradings and Promotions

• Shodan (1st) – Summer 1980, Graded under Sensei Barry Wilkinson
• Nidan (2nd) – 1987, Graded with SKW (Southern Karate-Do Wado-Kai)
• Sandan (3rd) – 1991, Graded with SKW (Southern Karate-Do Wado-Kai)
• Yondan (4th) – 1995, Graded with SKW (Southern Karate-Do Wado-Kai)
• Godan (5th) – 2001, Awarded by England Wado-Kai
• Rokudan (6th) – 2008, Awarded by England Wado-Kai
• Nanadan (7th) – 2016, Awarded in Switzerland by the Federation of Wado-Kai Europe, during the 41st European Wado-Kai Championships.