The new Polish federation for Mixed Martial Arts, the MMA Polska Association, held its official press launch yesterday in Warsaw. Headed by KSW founder, Martin Lewandowski, as President, the organization has been established under the auspices of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF |WMMAA) to represent the national MMA community with the following purposes;
- – The education, training and safeguarding of young people, competitors and coaches in MMA
- – To develop the amateur sport with the future goal of seeing MMA into the Olympic Games
- – To harness the benefits MMA has to offer wider society
- – To represent Polish MMA internationally: MMA POLSKA is the only Polish organization recognized by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF – WMMAA) and meets all its criteria
- – To promote a positive image of MMA
The main objective of the Association is the development of MMA as a sport discipline. MMA POLSKA shares the Olympic belief in sport’s power to connect people. The organization will promote MMA as a sport for everyone, regardless of origin, social status, race or religion. The mission of the organization is education at a grass roots level in order to minimize risk in the discipline. The Olympic Spirit and fair play are the principles that the Association will instill in the youngest generation. Alongside sport development and regulation, the long term goal is to see MMA into the Olympic Games.
MMA Polska Association President and KSW co-founder, Martin Lewandowski, said:
“After 15 years in professional MMA, the time has come to organize the amateur side of the sport. This is the next step in strengthening this discipline. We can say that the MMA University is already here in Poland, but now it is time to build the elementary school and high school.
“I have walked a bumpy road building MMA from the beginning, making it acceptable in the media, among sponsors, fighting stereotypes, pulling MMA out of discos and dingy training rooms which lacked even basic medical care. This is all behind me, behind us. As an Association we will make sure that all this work will not go down the drain. Nowadays, MMA is among the most watched sports in Poland. I have been part of creating this discipline from the very beginning and I know every detail both from the sports side and the organization of sport events. At the time I started, there were no standards, there was no benchmark we could use. Everything that has shaped contemporary MMA, I have experienced through my own mistakes and failures. I want to bring all this experience to the newly created Association.”
In a statement to media, MMA POLSKA outlined its goal of creating career opportunities for young people in the sport and of developing elite amateur MMA, managed in a professional way. It relayed its aim of fostering relationships with officials in the public sphere, in government administration, and also with private entrepreneurs and companies who care about the sport development of MMA.
MMA POLSKA is further working to build the foundations of a Polish MMA Union and cooperating with the National Ministry of Sport. It is lobbying for MMA to be included among disciplines recognized by state authorities. The plan of its founders is to build the strongest MMA association in the country with many real benefits. The Organization is already officially supported by many ambassadors from various disciplines
President of the MMA POLSKA Association, Martin Lewandowski, continued:
“We would like to regulate the environment, raise safety standards and train young talent. One of the most important goals is the organization of a series of championship tournaments under MMA Polska, which will eventually be the team selections for the Polish National MMA Team. It will be a unique opportunity for competitors to internationally represent our country with the Eagle on their chests.”
Any person accepted by the Board may become a member of the Association. The organization’s structure will comprise three groups of members: ordinary, honorary and supporting. Ordinary members will be able to participate in voting and elections, propose ideas for consideration during general meetings and will be systematically informed about the state of the organization.
MMA POLSKA is built on the belief that amateur MMA needs a shared vision and strong leadership.
The first activities of the MMA POLSKA Association will be:
- – Outreach to clubs, fighters, referees, doctors and all participants
- – Unification of processes for participant safety, medical issues, personnel, licensing, rules and regulation, equipment, etc.,
- – The launch of a series of amateur tournaments in the second half of 2019, culminating with the national championships – MMA Polska in 2020. Until then, the Polish National MMA Team / Team “MMA Polska” will be selected and the fighters’ ranking will operate within it.
- – Organizing seminars for all functions in MMA at the MMA Polska Academy -,
- – Building CSR programs for children, women and seniors,
- – Introduction of a medical program monitoring the health of competitors
- – Lobbying for the regulation of MMA licensing
- – Building a cooperative relationship with the Polish Olympic Committee.
