Karate appeared in the Soviet Union in the mid-1960s, during Nikita Khrushchev's policy of improved international relations.The first Shotokan clubs were opened in Moscow's universities.
In 1973, however, the government banned karate—together with all other foreign martial arts—endorsing only the Soviet martial art of sambo.
Failing to suppress these uncontrolled groups, the USSR's Sport Committee formed the Karate Federation of USSR in December 1978.
On 17 May 1984, the Soviet Karate Federation was disbanded and all karate became illegal again.
In 1989, karate practice became legal again, but under strict government regulations, only after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 did independent karate schools resume functioning, and so federations were formed and national tournaments in authentic
