Ross Rumbell Award Recipient: 1998

A founding member of Karate BC over 50 years ago, Dr. Ling dedicated his life to the study of martial arts, merging it with his other two lifelong passions —family and the practice of medicine. He has studied and taught karate along with kobudo, judo and iaido with his children and grandchildren for nine decades. Dr. Ling was heavily involved with setting up and strengthening karate associations at the local, provincial, national and international levels. After introducing his four daughters to the sport in their basement Dojo in Kitimat, BC, Dr. Ling developed and guided each of them to the top of the national and international podium in both Kata and Kumite. Dr. Ling believes in a comprehensive approach to not only the study of martial arts, but the pursuit of life. He served on the Karate BC (KBC) and National Karate Association of Canada (NKA) executive committee for a combined three decades, represented Karate on the Canadian Olympic Committee for 17 years where he made representation to the IOC in concert with the WKF for inclusion of karate on the program of the Summer Olympics. The global community was pleased to finally see Karate at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Dr. Ling volunteered his service as a medical doctor at KBC and NKA tournaments, served on the World Medical Commission of the WKF, and was a Judge and Referee at the provincial, national and international competitions.