2021 Technical Seminar Week

Registration information will be emailed to all National Federations to share with their membership.
To register for the public Thought Leadership Event: Athlete Weight Management in Sport, email [email protected].
Monday 19 April 2021


PRESIDENT’S WELCOME & CEO UPDATE
13:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speakers:
- President Kerrith Brown OLY
- CEO Densign White OLY, MBE


From Amateur to Pro: What it Takes to Make it in MMA?
14:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speakers:
- Dean Amasinger, Head Coach – UFC Performance Institute Shanghai
- Andrew Moshanov – IMMAF Director of Development
- Jorden Curran – IMMAF Member Development Consultant
Transition from amateur to professional is truly one of the most exciting and challenging moments in an athlete’s career. Join our session to get an insight into UFC Performance institute practices and learn first-hand what is expected from any and every newly signed athlete and his coach.
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]


(Public Event): Athlete Weight Management in Sport – Thought Leadership Panel Discussion
17:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speakers:
- Paula Radcliffe MBE – British Olympian, long-distance runner; previous holder of the Women’s World Marathon Record.
- Dr. Mike Loosemore – Commonwealth Games Chief Medical Officer, Team England boxing doctor, former AIBA Medical Commission member, Safe MMA.
- Dr. Randa Bascharon – IMMAF Medical Commission; ringside physician (Nevada State Athletic Commission, USA Boxing, IMMAF and the US National Muay Thai Association; American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians member).
- Clint Wattenberg – Director of Nutrition at the UFC Performance Institute.
- Kerrith Brown – IMMAF President and judo Olympian
- Panel Moderator: Michele Verroken – Sporting Integrity, IMMAF Anti-doping Consultant
Weight-cutting is one of the biggest risks to athlete welfare in mixed martial arts but is not an issue distinct to MMA, impacting a range of mainstream sports. In this panel discussion, experts from across sport will share their experiences and learnings to promote awareness and provide recommendations for safe and effective weight management that can be practically applied by athletes, coaches and administrators.
The panel discussion will be followed by an opportunity for questions and answers.
Register here: https://app.livestorm.co/immaf/discussion-on-athlete-weight-management
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]
Tuesday 20 April 2021


Organising an IMMAF Youth MMA Programme – A Roadmap to Mainstream Funding and Support
13:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speaker:
- Danny Corr – Fight to Unite, IMMAF Peace Through MMA Commission, UAMMAA
This seminar will detail the successful Youth MMA Programme currently being rolled out across Ireland which engages young people through MMA and provides a pathway to mainstream education. Learn how the programme has sustained gyms, coaches and participants through accessing major funding throughout COVID lockdowns.
Most importantly, Danny Corr will outline how your gym or association can start a similar programme in your country and will provide a detailed toolkit to assist you in establishing the programme and attracting mainstream funding to support coaches, gyms and young people.
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]


National Federation Role and Responsibilities
14:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speaker:
- Densign White OLY, MBE – IMMAF CEO
Sports Governing Bodies must be able to meet international standards of good governance and integrity to validate official recognition at both national and international level. IMMAF CEO Densign White will talk you through the key roles and responsibilities of National Federations and how to meet these requirements.
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]
Wednesday 21 April 2021


Cancelled – MMA FIT
13:00 hrs (UTC +1)
Trainer:
- Bertrand Amoussou – IMMAF Board Director
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]


Evidence Based Weight Management in MMA
14:00 hrs (UTC +1)
Speakers:
- Dr Carl Langan-Evans PhD ASCC SENr – Research Fellow in Applied Sport Physiology and Nutrition at Liverpool John Moores; nutrition consultant to a range of athletes including current UFC fighters.
- Ben Crighton MSc – PhD student at Liverpool John Moores University researching the effects of weight management on performance and health in sport.
- Christopher Kirk MSc CSCS – Lecturer of Sport and Exercise Physiology at Sheffield Hallam University; PhD student at Liverpool John Moores University, researching the development of a performance coaching framework for MMA.
Following on from Monday’s public, cross-sport panel on Athlete Weight Management in Sport, this member only session delves deeper into the subject as it applies to MMA athletes. The session will examine the current evidence of the influence of weight cutting on success in amateur and professional MMA; the negative physiological consequences of extreme weight cutting in MMA; and how this process can be better managed by athletes, coaches and teams to support long term fighter health and performance.
There will be the opportunity for questions and answers at the end.
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]
Thursday 22 April 2021


Doping Risks and Anti-Doping Solutions
13:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speaker:
- Michele Verroken – Sporting Integrity, IMMAF Anti-doping Consultant
This seminar casts a spotlight on Prohibited substances v Permitted medications, supplements and CBD, leading to an examination of how to incorporate these into anti-doping education programmes at the national level.
This session suitable and recommended for national federations, coaches, athletes, anti-doping officers, medical support personnel.
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]


The Proving of Regulatory Pathways and the Need for Continual Development in MMA
14:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speaker:
- Marc Goddard – IMMAF Regulatory Affairs Director, international referee
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]
Friday 23 April 2021


Introducing the Internship & Volunteers Programme at IMMAF
13:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speaker:
- Jaine Shah – IMMAF Athlete Equipment & Volunteers Manager
Learn what the Internship & Volunteer Programmes are and why they have been implemented at IMMAF. Our aim is to connect individuals with relevant roles and departments within IMMAF to provide quality training opportunities that will ensure a mutually rewarding experience for all participants.
Jaine will walk you through the importance of these programmes and introduce you to the individuals who are on these career pathways in IMMAF right now.
No federation should underestimate the contribution of interns and volunteers, and this session aims to demonstrate how valuable this initiative is and how recruiting volunteers/interns can both help you as a National Federation and support the development of careers in MMA.
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]


Championships Update: New Team Penalty Point System and Child Safeguarding Policies
14:00 hrs (UTC+1)
Speakers:
- IMMAF Events Team
As IMMAF grows and new federations join the family, our events grow as well. In order to keep all activities safe and regulated, new policies are being developed.
During this Events seminar we would like to introduce the new The Team Penalty Point System that has been designed to ensure a fair, respectful and regulated atmosphere at all IMMAF events; and also, IMMAF’s Safeguarding Policy created for our newest addition – the youth. Working with young athletes is key to sports’ development and making sure they are safe is our priority.
For enquiries, contact – [email protected]


PRESIDENT’S CLOSING SPEECH
15:00 hrs (UTC+1)
President Kerrith Brown