By Press Release

The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) Medical Commission, one of its longest established commissions, has been finalising medical advisory protocols for a return to training and competition for amateur MMA in a new Covid-19 landscape.

The Medical Commission is chaired by Dr Randa Basharon (USA) and composed of leading international experts in sport medicine.

“The IMMAF Medical Committee members are leaders committed to the advancement of medical care and safety of MMA fighters,” said Dr Basharon. “We continue to pioneer medical safety policies for all competition groups including Junior and Youth, but we are also advising IMMAF on timely issues related to Covid-19 protocols and the issue of transgender participation in amateur MMA.”

The IMMAF Medical Committee has an unwavering focus on best practices in brain injury prevention and brain injury detection.

In terms of our priorities for 2020, this Medical Committee has also developed a ringside physician medical manual, said Dr Basharon. “The ringside medical manual and brain injury prevention are both ongoing works in progress to establish reproducible medical policies and procedures for quality and safety assurance during our competitions.”

The IMMAF Medical Committee continues to develop policies and procedures to advance the safety of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).  MMA has a growing global presence and the growth of the sport has demonstrated the need for ongoing safety regulations and policies. IMMAF’s ongoing alliance with SafeMMA has proved to be a successful component in athlete pre and post-fight screening and evaluations.

The IMMAF Medical Commission continues to address medical safety as it relates to the rapid expansion of MMA and the scalability issues represented by increased international growth of the sport. Each year, IMMAF’s medical committee participates in education and research agendas for the purpose of advancing the safety and medical care in MMA.