The Association Burkinabè de Mixed Martial Arts (ABMMA) has been granted official authorisation to practise MMA in Burkina Faso. The Ministry of Sports, Youth and Employment granted its formal approval in a letter dated 24 May, following the submission of a detailed file by the ABMMA.
This documented the technical achievements to date of President Abraham Mano and his team, their establishment of MMA in Burkina Faso and the association’s progress at sub-regional and international level.
Recognised as a legal entity by the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralisation and Security since 2022, after several years of informal MMA practice, ABMMA had already established a relationship with the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Employment and was authorised to represent Burkina Faso in international competitions.
With the approval, ABMMA organised a national MMA team to compete at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, in March 2024 under the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA). The team won three continental bronze medals in its debut in MMA, thanks to Issa Boussim (61.2kg), Sibiri Ben Ali Toe (93kg) and Gaoussou Sanou (120.2kg). Welcomed home as heroes by Minstrer Abraham Mano, the team presented him with their medals.
In April, the ABMMA submitted its application for official authorisation to practice MMA in Burkina Faso. The Minister’s letter of acceptance praised Mano’s “dynamism and your commitment to the promotion of this discipline” and pledged full cooperation and support for the Federation’s application for full recognition.
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The ABMMA has now set its schedule for the coming sports season, which includes training and development sessions for athletes and coaches, national championships in October and a planned participation in the GAMMA World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, in December. The ABMMA is committed to promoting and providing a regulatory infrastructure for both the amateur and professional practice of MMA in the country.
President Abraham Yenbuado Mano commented: “The official approval of the practice of MMA in Burkina Faso is a great victory for all those involved in the promotion of this sport in the country. It is the result of numerous efforts to demonstrate the potential of MMA as a sporting discipline capable of uniting, inspiring, and mobilising young people around positive values.
This authorisation provides the ABMMA with the legitimacy and a solid institutional framework to manage and promote this sport at a national level. This is in anticipation of the creation of the Burkinabe MMA Federation, which is already underway but requires certain prerequisites and a longer process that we are actively working on.
“For Burkinabe MMA, this official recognition firmly establishes MMA in the national sports landscape, allowing for a better structuring and organisation of competitions, training sessions, and promotional events. The official recognition of MMA by the sports authorities of Burkina Faso sends a strong message to young people and sports enthusiasts.” said Yenbuado Mano. “It helps to popularise MMA and attract new practitioners, while inspiring young people to adopt the values of discipline, courage, and resilience that are inherent in this sport. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Burkinabe sports authorities, and in particular the Minister, for their commitment and support,”