Bloody Elbow · Oct 31, 2017
IMMAF releases statement on partnership with violent Bahrain monarchy for world championships
In a matter of weeks, over 300 combat sports athletes will descend upon the island kingdom of Bahrain for the 2017 International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Championships of Amateur MMA. The event takes place between November 12-19 at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Manama, Bahrain’s capital city. The tournament will mark the first MMA event of its size in the country.
Yet while the event is viewed as a mutually beneficial opportunity for all parties involved, the IMMAF is unable to avoid the controversy associated with partnering with violent Gulf State monarchies like the Al Khalifa family.