When an offense is made
against a man's dignity and honor he is forced to defend himself.
Out of a sense of deep respect for the martial arts, and as a
dedicated and long-time practitioner, I am therefore compelled to
acknowledge that unfair and untruthful comments have been made
against my name and my character. These accusations have been
directed against me not only as a Wing Tsun practitioner but also as
a martial artist and human being in general.
It saddens me
that greed and personal interest are the motivating factors which
led to this unjustified attack. This is especially disturbing when
my goal has always been to promote and expand the arts of Wing Tsun
and Escrima all over the world for the benefit of all. Recently, Mr.
Keith R. Kernspecht, who represents an important and substantial
part of the income of Grandmaster Leung Ting's Association, has
launched a deliberate campaign to discredit my name and reputation
among students and practitioners of the martial arts. This is
especially troubling because for many years, when it was to his
monetary benefit, he used me to bring students into his European
Wing Tsun Organization (EWTO). It is common knowledge that my name
and reputation have been extremely relevant in the development and
rapid growth of his EWTO. The members I brought in have become a
major source of income and support for Mr. Kernspecht - the same
person who is currently trying to discredit me for his own selfish
goals.
I feel no need to list my accomplishments, to promote
myself, or to speak ill of others - this is not the martial arts
way. Deeds speak louder than words and everyone around the world is
well aware of what I have done in the last 16 years for both the
EWTO and Grandmaster Leung Ting's Association. Having unsuccessfully
attempted to resolve this matter privately, and having been
rebuffed, I am left with no other option than to sever all personal
and professional ties with Mr. Keith R. Kernspecht and the
EWTO.
Happily, I will continue to represent Grandmaster Leung
Ting and Grandmaster Rene Latosa in North America, where I shall
continue to use the WT (Wing Tsun) and Latosa Escrima logos and
emblems. In Europe, I will use the name "Emin Boztepe Martial Arts
System" (EBMAS) to avoid any conflict or misidentification of what I
teach, and also out of respect for Grandmaster Leung Ting and
Grandmaster Rene Latosa. I am very grateful and honored that they
will continue to support my quest to promote and teach the
incredible arts they have developed through their many years of
personal training and research. If either of these two masters are
unable to officially support me in the future due to outside
financial pressure from the EWTO, I know that it will not be because
of any philosophical disagreement, and that we will continue to
share a close personal relationship.
Honesty and loyalty are
important qualities in any human being, not only in martial artists.
Honesty promotes understanding and loyalty, and keeps students and
teachers together. However, these qualities are a two-way street and
should be mutually shared. Student and teacher both need to know and
understand the correct way to honor their counterpart.
Unfortunately, when personal greed and ambition rear their ugly
heads, this is sometimes forgotten.
Every man's future is in
his own hands and I gladly embrace my new path in life. With the
spiritual nourishment of Grandmasters Leung Ting and Rene Latosa,
whose teachings I will continue to dedicate myself to, and with the
support of my many wonderful and loyal students around the world, I
will continue to spread the martial arts that have been a major part
of my life for the past 27 years.
Yours truly in Wing Tsun,
Escrima, and Martial Arts,
Emin
Boztepe
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