Russian team to join India’s December MMA Festival in Mumbai
NEW DELHI, November 21. A Russian team was invited to participate in a mixed martial arts festival (MMA) in India next month, Russian Consulate General in Mumbai Alexey Surovtsev told TASS on Monday.
The MMAFI (the Mixed Martial Arts Federation of India) Combat Sports Festival is scheduled to be held in the Indian city of Mumbai between December 15 and 18.
"The Consulate General’s Office of Russia in Mumbai is actively working to promote sports ties between Russia and India as well as within international organizations," Surovtsev stressed. "At India’s invitation, a Russian delegation will take part in the scheduled mixed martial arts festival on December 15-18," he specified.
India’s national MMA Championship will be held within the framework of the festival. "Russian fighters will participate in team events as part of this championship," Surovtsev noted, adding that arranging travel to India for the Russian athletes would be handled by the BRICS International Sports Development Center in Russia.
The diplomat recounted that the formation of the BRICS Sports Development Center is in its final stage and it will be based on the use of sports infrastructure in the Russian cities of Yekaterinburg, Sochi and Elektrostal with the support of the International alliance of BRICS strategic projects.
"Cooperation in mixed martial arts is one of the priorities considering the development of this sport in Russia and India," he continued. "As far as judo is concerned, the practical implementation of ideas is carried out in close cooperation with the leadership of the Russian Judo Federation (RJF) and the administration of Electrostal," the envoy said.
MMA development in India
In October, the Russian Consulate General in Mumbai and the state development corporation VEB.RF held a Judo week event in India.
"This event made big news in the Indian sports community," Surovtsev noted. "The next step was setting up the training camps for a candidate to the Indian Olympic team, Ishaan Kanojia, in [the Russian cities] of Elektrostal, Kirzhach and Dmitrov, as well as his participation in one of the stages of the Russian Judo Tour in Chelyabinsk with the support of the Russian Judo Federation."
Kanojia told TASS earlier that he chose Russia as the venue for his preparations ahead of the Olympic Games, because Russia "is one of the leading countries, when it comes to training great Olympic and world champions, and not just in the sport of judo."
According to him, "Russia has set a very high bar for all mixed martial arts and combat fighting sports," and the opportunity to train under the guidance of Russian specialists will give him the opportunity "to analyze myself for further perfection in order to be a few steps closer to the Olympic dream."
Mayur Bansode, president at Mixed Martial Arts Federation of India, told TASS in August that India was looking for Russia’s support in its planned nationwide development of Sambo. Bansode noted that he supported Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts regarding the development of sports across Russia. "I am a fan of Putin. He is a judoka," Bansode said back then.
The 70-year-old Russian president, known for his avid support of sports in Russia, holds a black belt in judo and he regularly practices the martial art.
In 2012, the International Judo Federation granted Putin an eighth Dan for his work to promote this sport. In his youth Putin was judo champion of his hometown of Leningrad, now called St. Petersburg. In 2008, he starred in the judo video "Let's Learn Judo With Vladimir Putin."
Origin: https://bit.ly/3U3Z90f