Irish Martial Arts Commission to IOC: MMA “not a sport” and “belongs underground” with dogfighting

[YukisHeart]

Freedom of Information requests have revealed that, after being asked to take MMA under its wing, the Irish Martial Arts Commission dismissed it as “pornographic, sadistic and voyeuristic to its core”.

It wrote to the International Olympic Committee saying that MMA “is NOT a sport” and should not be legitimised as one through formal recognition.

The Commission even urged a ban, comparing MMA to dogfighting and saying that “there are some things that belong underground”.

“We have to be strong enough to say No – to draw a line – and live with the criticism ... If MMA is not interested in changing the rules regarding elements such as ‘ground and pound’ then a ban is the only option”.

Further regulation was not considered worth encouraging on the basis that, fundamentally, “what consumers of MMA want to see [is] people not just beaten but people physically damaged”.

More: http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0808/807658-mma/

 

[Andrew06]

they aren't wrong

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

When they say it's pornographic, are they referring to Leslie Smith's nip slip?

 

[Sosua]

Boxing is worse.

 

[kashmir]

It's a sport compared to their pajama parties.

 

[vertical_leap]

It's well established that MMA isn't a sport.

 

[greatdara]

They object to hitting a downed fighter. Which is a perfectly reasonable point of view.

 

[Paradigm]

Irish martial arts commission? They probably feel threatened by MMA like the Judo federation in France.

 

[12ga.]

All of Europe with low birth rates and females running the joint are emasculated. It will be good when foreigners take over and inject them with some testosterone.

 

[Alphafail]

I agree with it not being a sport.

 

[ClosetVitorFan]

I don't know why fascists and anti freedom morons just love to ban things! Ban must be their favorite fucking words. Fuck you. I run on the platform of unbanning shit and keep things from getting banned.

 

[McgreGOATsLeft]

 

[Goh]

I respect their opinion, but I do feel it's mostly based in ignorance and hypocrisy.

 

[Strange Shadows]

fuck the ioc

and Ireland is creepy

 

[Mondo Freaks]

its a fringe sport

 

[Ladder Master]

"If MMA is not interested in changing the rules regarding elements such as 'ground and pound' then a ban is the only option to those whom 'they' are saying should regulate MMA", it said.

Its okay to tear ligaments with Jujitsu submissions when the match hits the ground, but no strikes to a downed opponent.
That's just too much.

 

[spinitch]

For Olympics why not modify rules themselves?

Seems like a lame rationalization, to ban. Just coz mainstream MMA promotions have more violent rules. IOC could take lead and offer a less violent version for exhibitions with no ground and pound etc... Instead typical our way or the highway. Don't care much for IOC views especially when they considered dropping the non violent founding competition of wrestling due to lack of popularity. Very few people interested in less action when it comes to paying for entertainment. Reason softball dropped. IOC greedy contradictions.

 

[Deleted member 501827]

It's well established that MMA isn't a sport.

Its a sport but its not a game - GSP

 

[Strange Shadows]

comparing it to dog fighting is something a coward would say, and something i would expect from the irish martial arts commission, too, but fuck the IOC. . . no matter what.

i googled their website. LOL @ their 'advisory board': http://www.imac.ie/2011-06-15-16-28-59/advisory-boards.html
it's a bunch of TMA guys.

 

[Peteyandjia]

Ireland is just going through a phase that the USA went through in the 90's.

US Senators were on TV calling UFC "human cockfighting", and if you asked common people, they thought people regularly died, got their eyes literally gouged out of their heads, etc.

It's a phase. Ireland will get over it even faster than the USA did. Both because it's been built into an accepted 'sport' around the world, and because they happen to be the home of the UFC's biggest star right now.