Luanda - The chairman of the Angolan Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Federation, Armando Diogo, has presented his candidacy for the presidency of the African Confederation, in an election that will take place next September in the country.
The event will take place during the organisation's General Election Assembly, which will be held in Angola due to his commitment to the massification and development of the sport in Africa and around the world in recent years.
Angola will organise the World Cup in 2026, as well as having already hosted the African Championship (AFCON) in 2023, in the province of Luanda, where it was crowned champion.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, ahead of the phased departure of the national teams for Windhoek, Namibia, the venue for the 7th edition of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) 2024 Africa Championships from the 27th of this month to the 2nd of June, the current executive director of the continental body said that he already had the approval of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“For this challenge, we have already received the letter of comfort from the Ministry of Youth and Sport, through the minister Rui Falcão”, said the official explaining that this document will be sent to the ministries of the 15 countries supporting Angola's candidacy.
The African Martial Arts Confederation is led by Mauritanian Avinash Ramtohul.
He added that the electoral session of the governing body of the sport on the continent will take place at a time when the federation and the Evolução Martial Arts club are organising the second edition of the “Crime Zero” tournament.
According to the source, the aim of the competition is to introduce society to young people and teenagers who have been taken away from street life and crime to take up martial arts.
Angola will take part with a group of 70 athletes of both male and female category.
In the last edition, held at the Luanda Kilamba pavilion, Angola came first with 39 medals, 18 gold, 14 silver and seven bronze.
BSV/MC/MRA/jmc
