Diandra Martin from Australia ready for action!

Starting today, Thailand hosts the academic muaythai youth family with students from all over the world competing together. IFMA’s philosophy is a good fit with FISU, both promoting sports values and encouraging young athletes to apply these values to their everyday lives.

IFMA is a proud member of the Olympic family, recognised by GAISF  (SportACcord) since 2006. The IFMA and FISU connection formally began in 2015, when IFMA was recognised by FISU. That year saw the first FISU muaythai world cup – one year before muaythai got provisional recognition from the IOC.

The five pillar of muaythai  are very much the pillars of life – the values of excellence, honour, tradition, respect and fair play. These values will greatly benefit today’s university students who will have in the near future key positions across economy , culture, industry, politics and sport.

IFMA general secretary Stephan Fox, also vice-president of GAISF said: We are living in a divided world, in which sport instead of building walls builds bridges. The FISU muaythai world championships is an important tool for this in which we show that our true nationality is mankind”

IFMA strongly believes sport can bring the possibility of peace and unity to a world which is separated by religious systems and other divides. Mr Fox said the FISU muaythai family is united as with the one spirit.

Over the next seven days, Thailand’s beach capital hosts the academic sports youth of the world – showing that living together is possible  – living together under the same roof, competing under the same rules.

These athletes are role models for our youth, their most effective tool for speaking out for justice using their own authentic voices and personal stories, this is why IFMA has put the FISU world championships   – one week before the Youth championships this year in Thailand.

We can learn from each other, two separate events, but one message for our future.

IFMA would like to thank FISU for the recognition and the support, the Thailand University Sports Board , and the city of Pattaya for inviting the Youth of the world to this fantastic event.

Full details of the programme and results can be viewed  WUC Muaythai

Daily news will be on this website and of course on FISU Network

On social media follow Muaythai WUC , and also IFMA Facebook  IFMA Instagram and IFMA Twitter.

Watch the muaythai live on IFMA Youtube every day!