Joachim Thumfart from JJIF in talks with officilas of UAEJJ
Abu Dhabi’s UAEJJ Federation (Which organizes the World Pro) has teamed up with The Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF which is the internationally recognized federation for sports Ju Jitsu) in the goal to work towards bringing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the Olympic games.
UAEJJ and JJIF have met this weekend in Abu Dhabi and have laid out an action plan. They will start the drive towards the ultimate dream of including Jiu Jitsu in the Summer Olympic Games, starting with Asia and the Asian Games. Joachim Thumfart, the sporting director of the JJIF spoke to BJJ Eastern Europe about what this collaboration means:
Please give us a rundown on what this new deal involves for Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and what are your next steps?
I am here in my position as sports director of JJIF. We just created a new Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union as part of JJIF. The president of UAE Jiu-Jitsu is the president of the new Continental Union. So they are now members of JJIF with important persons in leading positions.
In the next years we will have one commen rules for Ne-Waza/ BJJ in JJIF and UAEJJ. They are already very similar.
With this we have BJJ in the Wolrd Games (already 2013 we had two categories there) in the Sportaccord World Combat Games (2013 with 5 divisions)
These are the two main events in the official sports world (if not Olympic Sport) Jiu-Jitu will be part of the Asian Beach Games in Phuket Nov 2014. We are planning to play BJJ and a show self defense system.
The implement of Ju-Jitsu in the Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games is almost fixed. So from Asia we will develop all over the world.
The Fighting System (Sports Ju-Jitsu) and Duo System (technical competition) will continue in the program.
This weekend’s meeting in Abu Dhabi
How do you plan to attract the big BJJ black belt stars to your competitions?
Everybody is welcome to our competitions If they like to come and follow our rules – We are a sports federation (as non profit body) so some things are different.
What do you think about IBJJF as an organization?
IBJJF is a private company – we have no problems with them – if people compete in the recognized competitions with us and the professional competitions with IBJJF that is fine with us at the current situation.
Does this mean that the goal of this collaboration is to make the JJIF (together with UAEJJ) the leading recognized BJJ federation in the world?
Sure. In the official recognized sports world there is always only one organisation per sports – (we do not have a second football organisation exept FIFA). The “professional section is something else – compare to boxing. AIBA is the olympic boxing and there are many pro federations.
Will you still call it ‘Ne Waza’ or just Jiu-Jitsu?
The name is not decided yet but it will be more ‘Jiu-Jitsu’ than ‘BJJ’ – So we need a way to express in the name what kind of discipline we are talking about.
Check out the final of the 2013 Ne Waza final at the sport accord games:
