2021 ASIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS ANNOUNCED
The final day of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation’s Technical Seminar Week kicked off with a webinar by esteemed Anti-doping consultant, Michele Verroken of Sporting Integrity.
The seminar focused on National Federation responsibilities under the 2021 WADA Code, with guidance about what national bodies need to do to achieve compliance. The talk also celebrated high levels of engagement by IMMAF members on the WADA ADeL e-learning platform.
An open Q&A session with the IMMAF Events Team updated members about IMMAF’s plans for return to competition in 2021, following the cancellation of Championships in 2020, since March:
IMMAF announced its first confirmed 2021 event as the rescheduled Asian Open and Junior Asian Open Championships, set for Nur Sultan in Kazakhstan in the last week of June.
IMMAF is planning for a full events calendar next year, subject to the global pandemic, to include all continental championships, the World Championships, Youth World Championships and new World Teams event. All tournaments are in the final stages of contractual discussions between IMMAF and the respective Host Federations, with all being scheduled for the second half of the year.
The Events Team also gave updates on development projects that include the revised Operational Manual for IMMAF Championships, an instant scoring and match data system, a volunteer programme and a Sustainability Review (to be published next week).
In the President’s Closing Speech, IMMAF President Kerrith Brown, gave further insight into IMMAF’s interim plans for facilitating more competition experience for athletes during these restricted times.
One of the concepts detailed by the President was a Grand Slam series, featuring invitational matches between top 10-ranked IMMAF competitors on the undercards of professional shows. Another proposal is for National Championships Leagues, where bouts take place across regional, inter-club events between teams of three men and two women in 6-minute bouts: These would not contribute to a competitor’s fight records.
The President was joined by the IMMAF CEO, Densign White MBE, who underlined IMMAF’s administrative priorities according to the 2021 – 24 Strategic Plan and gave closing directives to the National Federations.
The CEO accoladed the success of IMMAF’s first virtual Technical Seminar Week, which was moved online due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but proved IMMAF’s best attended Seminar Week yet. He also pointed to the eco-benefits of organising such events online in future.
Board Directors Bertrand Amoussou and Tatiana Klimenko closed by congratulating the seminar attendees, participants and IMMAF staff, and thanking the President and CEO for their dynamic leadership.
