The Sport Jiu-Jitsu International Federation (SJJIF) World Championships Puts International Talent Front and Center
The SJJIF (Sports Jiu-Jitsu International Federation) is a premier organization that hopes to revolutionize the sport of jiu-jitsu by introducing it to the Olympic stage. Founded in 2012 by João Silva, Patricia Silva, Samuel Aschidamini, Edison Kagohara, and Cleiber Maia, the SJJIF aims to be much more than the traditional for-profit jiu-jitsu promotion. The SJJIF has made clear that what separates them from the rest is their mission of having jiu-jitsu be recognized as a stand-alone sport, which would ultimately pave the way for Olympic recognition.
With a focus on unification on a global scale, the SJJIF has already implemented multiple international federations with the hopes of bringing together different nations under a single umbrella. The ASJFF (Asian Sport Jiu-Jitsu Federation), ESJJF (European Sport Jiu-Jitsu Federation), and the NABJJF (North American Sport Jiu-Jitsu Federation) are just a few of the continental federations that have been created under the SJJIF with the hopes of global unification. Organizing jiu-jitsu under a single set of rules, athlete database, and governing body means one step closer to meeting the IOC (International Olympic Committee) guidelines. This is a noble mission that stands for something much greater than any single athlete or promotion; having jiu-jitsu reach the Olympic stage would truly be a milestone achievement in this great sport.
From November 9-10, the SJJIF will be hosting its 2019 World Championships at the Long Beach Convention Center. Some of the top athletes in jiu-jitsu will have their opportunity to compete at the highest level with the hopes of taking home the gold medal. These athletes will be competing for themselves, their coaches, their gyms, but also for the legacy of the sport. With jiu-jitsu blossoming in popularity every year, the athletes at the 2019 World Championships will have an opportunity to represent something much bigger than them; a chance to become pioneers in a journey of bringing the sport of jiu-jitsu to the Olympic stage.
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