Description

Belgian karate pioneer and long-time coach of Jean-Claude Van Damme. With Jean De Haes he created the first karate school in Brussels in 1962, the ancestor of the Centre National de Karate (CNK). He trained in Paris alongside Tsutomu Ohshima, a disciple of Gichin Funakoshi. Goetz is credited with about a hundred coaching world titles, promoted the first full-contact karate tournament in Belgium, and remains at the head of what became the World Champion CNK.

Teachers (1)

• 
  Tsutomu Ohshima

  linkShotokan 2

  Probable

  Two independent sources state Goetz trained with Ohshima; the details (period, venue) are not documented

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Two independent sources state Goetz trained with Ohshima; the details (period, venue) are not documented

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Claude and Jacques DELCOURT... trained in Paris together with Tsutomu OSHIMA, disciple of Giehin FUNAKOSHI."

  — CNK - Centre National de Karate history page linkhistoryinfo

  "...my karate teacher Claude Goetz (the European karate pioneer who studied with Tsutomu Oshima, a disciple of Gichin Funakoshi)..."

  — Warrener, Don. (2011). Jean Claude Van Damme - Behind The Public Image. FightingArts.comlinkhistoryinfo

Ranks (1)

• linkKarate

  military_tech7 dan 2

  Probable

  Karate 7th dan reported by UppercutMMA, a secondary source; the granting organization and date are not documented

  Dan-Kyu System

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Karate 7th dan reported by UppercutMMA, a secondary source; the granting organization and date are not documented

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Ceinture noire d'aïkido (1e dan), de judo (2e dan), de jiu-jitsu (5e dan), de karaté (7e dan) et de full-contact."

  — Desaint, Benoit. (2023). Qui est Claude Goetz, le maitre de Jean-Claude Van Damme au palmares impressionnant ?linkinfo

Students (1)

• 
  Jean-Claude Van Damme

  linkShotokan 3

  Confirmed

  Van Damme has consistently named Goetz as his original and principal instructor in multiple interviews across three decades

  sports_kabaddiCentre National de Karate badge (1971-1978)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  4 sources

  fact_check

  Van Damme has consistently named Goetz as his original and principal instructor in multiple interviews across three decades

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "I started training in Brussels [Belgium] when I was 11, in 1971. [...] My original instructor, Claude Goetz, taught three styles. He adapted karate to your anatomy."

  — Corcoran, John. (1988). Jean-Claude Van Damme Interview (Fighter International, November 1988) linkinfo

  "He received his black belt in Shotokan karate from Claude Goetz in 1978 and briefly studied kickboxing in Paris with French karate king Dominique Valera."

  — Corcoran, John. (1988). Jean-Claude Van Damme Interview (Fighter International, November 1988) linkinfo

  "He was like my second father. His name was Claude Goetz. He's a Belgian fellow and a wonderful man."

  — Colasanti, Rob. (2004). Up Close and Personal with Jean Claude (Martial Arts Professional)linkhistoryinfo

  "I enrolled in Claude Goetz's Shotokan karate school in my hometown in Belgium. I was just eleven years old at the time."

  — How Karate Changed My Life (Jean-Claude Van Damme) linkhistoryinfo

Sources