The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) has implemented a new Medal Reallocation Policy, aimed at upholding the integrity and fairness of competition in cases where an athlete is disqualified due to a failed doping examination.
The policy, approved by the IMMAF Board on May 28, 2025, has been developed in consultation with the IMMAF Athletes Commission and will apply to all results following the date of approval.
Under the new framework, all tournament results involving a disqualified athlete will be revised according to criteria designed to ensure that clean athletes are recognized and rewarded appropriately.
Key elements of the policy include:
- Overturned Results: All bout results involving the disqualified athlete will be overturned to a no contest, except in cases where the disqualified athlete lost; those results will remain recorded as a defeat.
- Medal Stripping and Return: Disqualified athletes will be stripped of medals and removed from IMMAF-Smoothcomp rankings for the duration of their suspension. All prize money or awards must be returned. Failure to comply can result in a permanent ban and further disciplinary measures.
- Reallocation Criteria:
- If a champion is disqualified, the silver medallist is promoted to gold.
- The athlete who lost to the DQ’d athlete in the semi-finals will be awarded the silver medal.
- If a silver medallist is disqualified, the bronze medallist will be upgraded to silver.
- If a bronze medallist fails a doping test, the medal is vacated and not reassigned.
- No Upgrades from Early Rounds: Athletes defeated by the disqualified individual prior to the semi-finals will not be elevated to medal positions.
- Team & Ranking Implications: National teams will forfeit ranking points earned by the suspended athlete. Rankings on platforms including Smoothcomp, Tapology, Sherdog, and BoxRec will be notified and updated accordingly.
This policy reinforces IMMAF’s commitment to clean sport and athlete accountability while ensuring that those who compete fairly are justly recognized.
IMMAF is currently in the process of reviewing all disqualifications predating this policy. Where physical medals cannot be reissued for past events, eligible athletes will be contacted and provided with recognition of their upgraded placement from the IMMAF President.
For further information on medal reallocation, please contact [email protected].
