Another hurdle has been cleared in the quest to get MMA legalized in France.
On Friday it was confirmed the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) gave its approval to the French Ministry of Sport’s decision for MMA to be legalized under the initial jurisdiction of the French Boxing Federation.
In January, the Ministry of Sport in France announced it had selected the French Boxing Federation to work as custodians of MMA during the initial period of the sport’s legalization. But that decision still required approval from the CNOSF in order for the process to be taken forward.
Now that the CNOSF’s validation has been given, the path is clear for the sport to become legal.
International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) president Kerrith Brown explained the importance of the decision, saying, “The official announcement by the CNOSF is a crucial step on the path to creating a dynamic MMA structure in France. IMMAF will continue to supply constructive support and advice to all the MMA stakeholders.”
French law requires that all sports should be overseen by the structures already established by a government-recognized federation, and certain criteria must be met over the course of a number of years.
By placing MMA under the jurisdiction of the long-established French Boxing Federation, the sport fulfills that requirement, and the subsequent validation from the CNOSF means the sport can be taken forward and formally legalized in the country.
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“After many years of commitment and hard work by MMA activists in France, it is a major milestone that CNOSF has recognized our sport,” said IMMAF board director and Commission Française de MMA (CFMMA) co-president Bertrand Amoussou. “We are now looking forward to working hard, and in a unified way, to ensure that the structures set up to govern MMA work as well as possible.”
The effort toward French MMA legalization received backing from Bellator president Scott Coker, who suggested that the decision to place MMA under the jurisdiction of the French Boxing Federation was a good choice for the success of the sport moving forward.
“Given their successful and longstanding track record with boxing, we believe the French Boxing Federation are well suited to oversee the sport and we will be pleased to work with them towards MMA’s continued growth, development, safety and regulation throughout the country,” Coker said.
Clearly, the French Olympic Committee is of the same view, with their approval helping MMA take another significant step toward legalization.