Team Portugal relax in Cancun before the Opening

Over 80% of the teams have arrived, and settled in beautiful Cancu – making the best of the beautiful location, beach-front and the on-site training facilities. The athletes can choose from over 30 restuarants and cafes on site for meals covering any dietary requirement.

But now the serious part of the championships must start, IFMA prides itself on the athletes health and security so before the competition each athlete must bring a full medical certificate including full blood tests.

In addition as weight-cutting can be a problem in many combat sports, IFMA has strict policies in place to ensure that athletes make the weight category without any risk to their health. So dehydration and physical tests must be provided before registeration.

Fair play is key, and IFMA is doing important work in protecting the clean athletes through In-competition and Out-of-Competition tests are part of each event.

Medical checks went on all afternoon

Also athletes participate in the Fair Play programme, which also includes the One World One Muaythai Family Policy (in the constitution) in which cultural and political differences have no place in the athletes’ world.

We are under one roof, we eat the same food , we compete under the same rules and we show respect to one another before and after each competition.

The IFMA philiosophy is the only time we look down on an athlete is when we reach down to help them back on their feet.

The first bouts are on Saturday May 12th – follow the action on IFMA social media with live results on IFMA Live 
And go behind the scenes with muaythai champions on IFMA Instagram and IFMA Facebook and IFMA Twitter.