I FIRST MET Geoff Thompson in 1978 when we drove up from London to Southport. He -along with a group of other karate students including my late brother Lincoln – was taking his grading to become a Black Belt. I remember Geoff because he towered over everyone else and was a bit of a joker. That said, the joker was absent when he went onto the mat to face an opponent.
Fast forward 42 years, and I see the same Geoff I saw back then but with a lot more edge about him. The 20-year-old warrior I witnessed fighting for a black belt is now a warrior fighting for disenfranchised youth. For you to understand who Geoff Thompson is – as a former British, 5 x Karate World Champion gold medallist – I have attached extracts from the transcript of a blog he recently posted at the end of an intense training session in his homemade dojo (Karate Gym). It will give you an insight into what makes this man a Super-A Warrior.
- “Ever since May 25th, the world has responded to a cry from the streets of Minneapolis, and from countless streets around the world where black life is depicted and reflected by black men who are feared and never given hope or the opportunity to contribute for themselves, their family, their diaspora community, and society as a whole”.
- “To this day I question my whole existence and the so-called stain that is the colour of my skin. And I still believe that it is an offence for those who do not look like me, claim to represent me, or speak for me, to provide pronouncements, pledges, and promises as to how things will improve.”
- “Well, I’m in my 63rd year, and I still cannot breathe: I cannot breathe; not from the intensity of my training – which gives me mental, physical, and emotional release, but from the rage and the anger that I feel towards those who try to suppress me, derail me, deny me, hate me, or tried to ultimately destroy me.”
- “I’ve rediscovered myself redefined recommitted myself and rededicated myself to be the warrior strong Warriors protect their communities and challenge those who deny their communities the right to determine themselves and their responsibilities. Taking poverty out of black lives means we must do it for white lives too. My contributions have influenced seven prime ministers on why sport and the arts – not as the treatment, not as the solution – but as an antidote and vaccine – to give that disaffection an ability to channel, focus, express and achieve discipline”.
- “When you have ‘taken the knee’, what are you going to do when you stand back up, what action are you going to take that will impact upon this sea of change and people movement, and what they want to see improved. God is good and the spirit of our ancestors will ring true in those whose shoulders they stand upon”.
The above is a small snapshot of my pal Geoff Thompson who – in addition to being a former 5 x Heavyweight Karate world champion, founder of the Youth Charter for Sport, political agitator and Super-A, will be publishing his book ‘Super-A Warrior’ this autumn. Needless to say, I will keep you posted on this, as well as regular updates on his youth campaign: ”Fight for the streets,”, and his quest to compete in next year’s Tokyo Olympics to win karate Olympic gold at the age of 63. That said, in my opinion, Geoff has been a life-long champion.
#MADEINFITNESS
