One of the last major holdouts when it comes to legalizing professional/amateur MMA, France, has apparently ended their ban on the sport.
According to a pair of tweets from Roxanne Maracineanu, who serves as France’s minister of sports, MMA will become legal in the country next year:
Je lance aujourd’hui officiellement un appel à manifestation d’intérêt pour confier la structuration du #MMA en France à une fédération sportive délégataire. Les candidats remettront leur dossier à la rentrée 2019 et nous désignerons la fédération délégataire choisie à l’automne.
— Roxana Maracineanu (@RoxaMaracineanu) June 24, 2019
Au 1er Janvier 2020, le #MMA existera donc officiellement en tant que pratique sportive professionnelle et amateur en France dans le cadre de défini par @Sports_gouv en harmonie avec le paysage international de cette discipline.
— Roxana Maracineanu (@RoxaMaracineanu) June 24, 2019
Here is a translation of what Maracineanu tweeted, provided by Google Translate:
“Today, I officially launch a call for expressions of interest to entrust the structuring of #MMA in France to a delegated sports federation. The candidates will submit their file in the fall of 2019 and we will designate the delegated federation chosen in the fall.”
“As of January 1, 2020, the #MMA will therefore officially exist as a professional and amateur sporting practice in France within the framework defined by @Sports_gouv in harmony with the international landscape of this discipline.”
There is no word yet from the UFC or Bellator MMA as to when they plan on running events in the country, but they (and other promotions) are going to be free to do so in just over six months time.
