French MMA Commission Joins International Mixed Martial Arts Federation
Posted by Joseph Lee on 03.20.2013
Even though MMA is banned there...
MMA Junkie reports that France has joined the IMMAF (International Mixed Martial Arts Foundation), in the form of the country's MMA commission called the CNMMA (Commission National de Mixed Martial Arts). It's a nonprofit organization launched in 2009 for MMA in France, even though the sport is currently banned there.
IMMAF board member Bertrand Amoussou said: "The CNMMA has made progress in the political arena in the last year, and we are confident that the IMMAF membership will encourage the political leaders as well as the French sports community to evaluate and welcome MMA in the near future. I truly believe that MMA will soon play an important role in the martial arts family here in France."
The IMMAF also welcomed Brazil's national MMA commission (Comissao Atletica Brasileira de MMA) earlier this year. It's a nonprofit group with a goal of helping MMA to grow worldwide. It launched in 2012 and welcomed the U.S., Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Nepal and the U.K., among others. It has support from the UFC, and UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner chairs the organization's technical committee.
The UFC expressed interest in having a show in France when MMA is allowed. French fighters like Cheick Kongo and Cyrille Diabate compete for UFC.
