New Surrender Monkey regulations effectively ban MMA in France

Michael Cantillon for Sky Sports reports that new national combat sports regulations put in place by the French Sports Ministry mean that mixed martial arts is banned in the nation. CFMMA, the official French MMA federation, will be legally challenging the new laws.

While not an explicit ban, a ministry press release detailed that both the distinctive caged safety enclosure and several defining techniques of the sport are prohibited, along with prohibitions on things like biting that are part of no sport in the last 2,000 years.

“Fights will take place on a carpet or in a ring with three or four ropes. The corners of the ring will be protected,” reads the report.

“The following techniques are strictly outlawed and will lead to immediate disqualification:
•Punches, kicks or strikes with the knees against a fighter on the ground;
•Any strike with the elbow;
•Headbutts;
•Blows to the genitals, the spine, the back of the head or the throat; •Putting the fingers in the eyes, mouth or nose;
•Pulling the hair; iting; throwing (the opponent) intentionally onto the head or neck; throwing the opponent out of the ring.”
•Biting; and,
•Throwing (the opponent) intentionally onto the head or neck; throwing the opponent out of the ring.”

CFMMA president Bertrand Amoussou was not impressed.

“It’s amazing given the timing and it is disrespectful,” he told L’Express. “The Ministry takes us for idiots. All countries have recognized MMA in Europe, except France and Norway.

“I hoped it would not come to this but the CFMMA will launch a legal action to contest this decree.”