Director
of Regulatory Affairs Marc
Goddard joined IMMAF President Kerrith Brown in
Kiev,as
the nation’s MMA Federation completed its 2019 national amateur championships.
Their visit came following invitation from the Ukraine MMA Federation
requesting assessment of national commissioning standards in accordance with
the latest requirements under IMMAF – WMMAA, the unified international
governing body.
“When IMMAF and WMMAA decided to become one organization, we
understood that the rules of IMMAF would be used for international
events,” Anton Blank explained,
Executive Director of the Ukraine MMA Federation.
“In response, we have sent several of our officials to Marc
Goddard’s seminar for referees and judges. In turn, they have traveled with
seminars across Ukraine for several months to spread and teach these standards.
We also have changed from rings to cages and tested the standards of IMMAF
within our regional championships and Ukrainian youth championships for
under-20’s.
“We decided to invite president Kerrith Brown and one of the
most respected referees in the world, Marc Goddard, to examine the changes that
we have made and tell us what we are doing wrong and what we are doing right.
We hope they enjoyed the time in Kiev and believe their visit will help speed
up the development of MMA in Ukraine.”
As
the national event played out, key areas of inspection included condition of
the cage and its ability to safely contain athletes, on-site medical care,
preliminary and post-bout medical protocols, use of an appropriate sports
venue, performance of officials, and athlete apparel such as amateur standard
gloves, shin guards, and a clear red vs. blue aesthetic to visually signify the
amateur level.
“I want to say thank you to the Ukraine Federation who deserve
massive credit for what was a forthright gesture, to not remain insular and
open their doors to invite critique of their processes,” Marc
Goddard (pictured above) commented. “This
cannot be overstated and I expect further member nations of IMMAF – WMMAA to do
the same.
“The hospitality in Ukraine was second to none, and I’m very
encouraged by the standards under the federation. When I step into a venue, I
know what I should expect to see. All nations will of course have unique
aspects or quirks, but general standardization is what we are looking for on a
global scale.
“First and foremost, my eye is focused on safety; I am
meticulous for medical standards and protocols. The performance of officials
and anything that constitutes the health and well-being of athletes must be
scrutinized. By in large, the standards I viewed were good.
“Standardization is key, from rules and regulations to the
aesthetics of recognizable amateur competition. It is better for everyone to be
singing from the same hymn sheet, and these visits will provide opportunity for
shared knowledge from both ends.”
The
IMMAF president (pictured above) concluded that, through their activities,
Ukraine are leading by example for a synchronized understanding across the
world of Amateur MMA that will spearhead the sport’s Olympic movement through
mutual understanding.
“This has been an example of how we can support worldwide
members,” Kerrith Brown stated. “There is a mandate for correct infrastructure, be it
cage safety, medical standards, amateur apparel and appropriate venues for
amateurs, the list goes on. Many countries will have different interpretations
of how to meet proper requirements, and with someone of Marc’s level we can
identify and aid federations in operating to a high standard.
“IMMAF – WMMAA is unified with integration of the Board of
Directors set to be complete for the start of 2020. It is a gradual transition
and nations such as Ukraine are leading the way for a recognizable global
standard, and that lead should be followed.“We
are thankful for the support shown by the Ukraine Federation. With this kind of
synchronization the Olympic dream is not far away.”
