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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)Ĭheck the appropriate box below if the FormĨ-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: (Exact name of registrant as specified inĥ35 5th Ave, 29th Floor, New York, NY 10017 The post Founding IMMAF President August Wallén Responds to Members on Youth MMA Rules appeared first on IMMAF.Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October The potential for children’s participation in MMA is enormous. This is probably because we haven’t so far been offering an option for minors, and in developing this area we will attract more people to participate and thus grow the sport. MMA worldwide doesn’t currently look like this. In comparable sports, the largest participation is from kids and a huge number compete, but not as many into adulthood.
In Sweden, there are a lot of competitors at amateur level, less at professional and then even less who compete at elite level under UFC rules, with the least restrictions. This safety ladder takes a pyramid shape in terms of participation, as competitors decrease in number as you move up. This is a logical path, where kids are on the lowest rungs of the ladder, and as they grow older, stronger, bigger and better skilled, they move up. Competitors start with lower risk competitions and as they move up the ladder, with more experience, they increase the number of techniques permitted and length of rounds. What we have built in Sweden to enable MMA competitions to take place under Swedish law is a competitor safety ladder. I learnt this for the first time through participating in a professional boxing investigation in Sweden.
However, it is in fact the opposite for the brain, where injury during teenage years puts the participant at higher risk of permanent damage compared to an adult. Kids often recover very quickly from injuries, and it is easy to think this applies to all injuries. Kids’ health is of the utmost importance. Our number one priority must be the health and safety of the kids under our jurisdiction! Also, if we were to go against medical recommendations and had a serious incident, how would that effect the sport? It would be devastating. I am not a doctor, and if we have this recommendation, it is our responsibility to go with what the professionals say. The doctors of our medical committee unanimously recommended against strikes to the head for minors. IMMAF founder and now Honorary President, August Wallén, today issued this response to concerns raised by some members about the modification of amateur MMA rules for under 18s competition:Īlthough the overall response has been positive to the IMMAF – WMMAA board decision to prohibit head strikes in under 18s competition, we have received some criticism. I understand the concerns, but there are always many aspects to consider and weigh-up in making decisions of such seriousness.