The World Fighting Championships Of Akhmat (WFCA) held an event on October 4th, that featured not only adult MMA fighters, but children MMA fighters.
This event’s child MMA fights sparked outrage from the MMA community, with the most notable being legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko. Emelianenko spoke out against what the WFCA, then his sixteen-year-old daughter was violently attacked by unknown assailants while walking home from school.
On October 18th, two weeks after the children’s bouts took place, the Ministry Of Sports In The Russian Federation issued a ruling against the WFCA and their proposed past, present and future children’s fights. The only punishment that the WFCA will receive is a sternly writing letter from the Ministry Of Sports In The Russian Federation -- no financial or legal penalties have been given at this time.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry Of Sports In The Russian Federation, children must be at least twelve years or older to compete in fights. The majority, if not all the children who competed on the October 4th WFCA card were under that required age.
No other statements have been issued at this time by WFCA officials, Fedor Emelianenko, Ramzan Kadyrov or anybody else associated with the situation.
Here is the full press release issued by the Ministry Of Sports In The Russian Federation (translated via Google):
Today, October 18, in the Ministry of Sports of Russia, chaired by the Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation Sport Paul Kolobkova a meeting of the working group on the issue of carrying out on October 4 at Grozny international tournament in professional fights MMA Grand-Prix Akhmat 2016 Final.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Sports of Russia, Ministry of the Chechen Republic for Physical Culture and Sport, the Russian Union of Martial Arts, All-Russian public organization "Union of mixed martial arts" MMA "Russia" and other stakeholders.
In the course of a full discussion of the working group came to the conclusion that competition in the age group 18 years and above have been conducted according to the rules, do not have significant differences from the rules of the sport, "mixed martial arts (MMA)", approved in the established order.
In the demonstrations in the framework of this event was attended by children aged 8-10 years, which is a violation of the rules of the sport, "mixed martial arts (MMA)."
In addition, the tournament is not an official sporting event, as has not been agreed with the Ministry of Sports of Russia and the All-Russian public organization "Union of mixed martial arts" MMA "Russia" and was out in the Uniform planned schedule of inter-regional, national and international athletic events and sports activities for 2016 year. Furthermore, this event was not included in the planned schedule of sports events and athletic events of the Chechen Republic.
As a result of the following decisions taken by the working group meeting:
1. In order to prevent such irregularities in the conduct of international and national sports events in the Chechen Republic to recommend to the Ministry of the Chechen Republic for Physical Culture and Sport to continue to coordinate their conduct with the Ministry of Sports of Russia and the All-Russian sports federations, accredited by the respective sports.
2. The Ministry of Sports of Russia in addition to the heads of higher executive authorities of the Russian Federation and in the all-Russian sports federations a letter with a reminder about the inadmissibility of the sports events without taking into account the requirements of legislation of the Russian Federation in the sphere of physical culture and sports, paying particular attention to compliance with the minimum age of participants competition.
Press service of Ministry of Sports of Russia
