Taliban Prohibits MMA, Media Reports
The Taliban has allegedly banned mixed martial arts, citing it as “a risk of death” and in violation of Islamic law. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The Taliban has declared a ban on mixed martial arts (MMA) in Afghanistan, asserting that the sport is excessively violent and violates Islamic law, as reported by various media outlets.
This directive was issued recently by the ministry for the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice, which stated that MMA "poses a risk of death."
“The free fighting games are banned from now on and no one is allowed to practice them,” said Atal Mashwani, a spokesman for the Taliban’s sports department, in an interview with The Telegraph on Thursday.
Mashwani further indicated that “those athletes who were involved in the sport can move to another sport of their choice and continue their activities.”
He explained that the decision stemmed from an investigation into the sport’s adherence to Islamic principles. “After the investigation, it was decided that the sport should be banned,” he remarked.
The spokesman also pointed out that Afghan sports authorities do not possess data on how many athletes participated in MMA, noting that these fighters “were part of private organizations and were not registered with the sports department.”
The Mixed Martial Arts Federation of Afghanistan, established in 2008, had gained traction among the youth, with the first private MMA tournament occurring in Afghanistan in 2015.
Prior to the Taliban's resurgence in 2021, the Afghanistan Fighting Championship (AFC) and Truly Grand Fighting Championship (TGFC) organized numerous bouts. However, following the Taliban's return, competitions were nearly prohibited after legislation against “face-punching” was enacted.
Media sources report that many Afghan MMA fighters had already left the country well ahead of this latest announcement. Notably, several Afghan athletes who participated in the Paris Games, either as part of the national or Refugee Olympic teams, originally came from martial arts backgrounds. Due to safety concerns, MMA is not recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
The Taliban initially took control of Afghanistan in the 1990s but was ousted in 2001 following the US-led invasion. They regained power in 2021 after a 20-year insurgency, necessitating the departure of Afghanistan’s internationally recognized president, Ashraf Ghani.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
This directive was issued recently by the ministry for the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice, which stated that MMA "poses a risk of death."
“The free fighting games are banned from now on and no one is allowed to practice them,” said Atal Mashwani, a spokesman for the Taliban’s sports department, in an interview with The Telegraph on Thursday.
Mashwani further indicated that “those athletes who were involved in the sport can move to another sport of their choice and continue their activities.”
He explained that the decision stemmed from an investigation into the sport’s adherence to Islamic principles. “After the investigation, it was decided that the sport should be banned,” he remarked.
The spokesman also pointed out that Afghan sports authorities do not possess data on how many athletes participated in MMA, noting that these fighters “were part of private organizations and were not registered with the sports department.”
The Mixed Martial Arts Federation of Afghanistan, established in 2008, had gained traction among the youth, with the first private MMA tournament occurring in Afghanistan in 2015.
Prior to the Taliban's resurgence in 2021, the Afghanistan Fighting Championship (AFC) and Truly Grand Fighting Championship (TGFC) organized numerous bouts. However, following the Taliban's return, competitions were nearly prohibited after legislation against “face-punching” was enacted.
Media sources report that many Afghan MMA fighters had already left the country well ahead of this latest announcement. Notably, several Afghan athletes who participated in the Paris Games, either as part of the national or Refugee Olympic teams, originally came from martial arts backgrounds. Due to safety concerns, MMA is not recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
The Taliban initially took control of Afghanistan in the 1990s but was ousted in 2001 following the US-led invasion. They regained power in 2021 after a 20-year insurgency, necessitating the departure of Afghanistan’s internationally recognized president, Ashraf Ghani.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
