On the final morning of the IFMA European Championships 2025, before the last bouts took to the ring, IFMA hosted its traditional Athletes Conference — a dedicated session designed to empower, educate and connect athletes from across Europe. The conference brought together competitors at all levels and provided tools, insights and inspiration to support their journey both inside and outside the ring.

The conference opened with an inspiring address from Rebecca Hödl, member of the IFMA Athletes Commission. Rebecca shared her personal journey into Muaythai — from discovering the sport, to joining IFMA competitions, to eventually stepping into an athlete leadership role.

She spoke candidly about wanting to make a difference and represent the athlete community, emphasising that athletes should never feel alone in their challenges or aspirations. Rebecca highlighted the ongoing IFMA Athlete Survey, an initiative driven by the Commission to ensure every athlete has a voice in shaping the future of the sport.

She encouraged all participants to take part, reinforcing that meaningful progress begins with shared input and open communication.

Clean Sport Session: “Muaythai Survival Lab”

The next segment was delivered by IFMA Director General and ITA Clean Sport Educator, Charissa Tynan, who conducted a dynamic Clean Sport session titled the Muaythai Survival Lab.

Athletes were guided through crucial anti-doping topics including:

• medication risks

• TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption) rules

• competition vs. out-of-competition prohibitions

• practical steps to stay safe and compliant

• the essential “Muaythai weapons” — the key tools every athlete must use to avoid a doping KO

The session reinforced that knowledge is protection, and that clean athletes are stronger, safer and more competitive athletes. The room engaged actively, asking questions and sharing experiences related to supplements, prescriptions and travelling with medication.

Digital Media Insights with IFMA Champion Monika Chochlíková

The final session featured an interview led by IFMA Digital Media Manager, Zlata Kozhemyako, with IFMA world champion and Athletes Commission member Monika Chochlíková.

Monika shared her strategies and best practices for building a strong and authentic digital presence — taking her social media to 89.8K followers and opening doors to sponsorships, visibility and funding opportunities.

She spoke about:

• consistency and authenticity

• creating value for followers

• balancing training and content

• communicating your story as an athlete

• the importance of clean online behaviour, especially as a role model in the IFMA community

Her insights resonated strongly with the athletes, many of whom are working to grow their digital platforms in today’s increasingly media-driven sporting landscape.

The 2025 Athletes Conference once again demonstrated IFMA’s commitment to holistic athlete development — ensuring that competitors are not only technically and physically prepared, but also educated, informed and supported in their broader career pathway.

Leadership. Clean Sport. Digital empowerment.

Three pillars delivered in one morning — setting a positive tone for the final day of competition.

As the athletes left the conference and prepared for their last bouts, they carried with them new knowledge, new inspiration and the confidence that their voices matter within the IFMA family.