In recent months the IMMAF has moved to bring communication with its global membership to a high, despite operating in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the international limitations that it has ushered.
Following the 2020 Oceania Open Championships back in March, the worldwide pandemic forced the cancellation of this year’s remaining IMMAF circuit including the hotly anticipated second edition of Youth World Championships and the marquee IMMAF World Championships, the premier platform for amateur mixed martial arts. IMMAF championship events provide a high volume of opportunity for networking, meetings, EGMs, AGMs and significant progression, with leaders of IMMAF’s 100+ member nations in attendance. Further limitations hindering development included restriction of IMMAF staff travel and the unpredictable changes effecting the productivity of IMMAF members, nation to nation.
IMMAF’s member relations team moved quickly to address the risk of distance growing between the international body and its member nations. For the many leaders of MMA’s national federations and associations, opportunity for productivity remains limited with varied lockdown restrictions and government resources dedicated to tackling the pandemic. However, the benefit of education, discussion and consideration remains with opportunity to consider the future and how to move forward. And so, recent months have seen national leaders from around the world attend monthly online meetings via the Zoom communication platform.
Each month has introduced a new and informative topic including presentations on harnessing media platforms, the importance to build and maintain engagement with member clubs and individuals, IMMAF’s cutting edge direction for grass roots youth development coming in 2021, plus updates from the IMMAF President and CEO with Q&A sessions for the IMMAF leadership.
Taking place throughout the month, meetings are catered to time zones and/or language where required, such as Africa (English), Africa (French), Central Asia/Russian speaking, Oceania, Arabic speaking, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and more. Subsequent feedback and national developments as a result of the online catchups have resulted in the decision to maintain the monthly projects, indefinitely.
