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CCNTV6
  • 10 months ago
As fighters continue to battle in the ring, the fight for an organized approach to kickboxing has reached a juncture. The Kickboxing Federation led by Bharrath Ramoutar is contemplating a move to work alongside the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations. A vote is expected to follow in the coming weeks to make a determination on the matter.
Transcript
00:00At present, there are two functioning kickboxing bodies in Trinidad and Tobago.
00:05The Bharat Ramutar-led Kickboxing Federation, as well as the Trinidad and Tobago branch
00:10of the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations, led by Martin McClatchy.
00:15The two bodies met on the way forward in December of 2024 and could not come to an agreement.
00:21Since then, the Kickboxing Federation continues to host events, but they have struck a few
00:26walls with their progression, mainly as a result of not being affiliated with the Ministry
00:31of Sport.
00:32The members, are they aligned with the Ministry of Sport?
00:34Well, that is an ongoing issue.
00:37We have been at this since 1997, and yes, as way back as then.
00:44We have an issue where we're supposed to be hooked up to the recognized body that the
00:49Ministry recognized, which is WACO, World Association of Kickboxing Organizations.
00:54We have not, none of the members really want to work with WACO for their personal reasons
01:00and so on.
01:02We had had meetings recently, in recent time, I initiated meetings to try to resolve the
01:09issue and it is still pending.
01:12Without Ministry backing, the Federation cannot receive funding and it is also difficult for
01:17the body to be registered as a business or non-profit organization.
01:22Opportunities aspiring to wear national colors are also limited since the Ministry only recognizes
01:27athletes fighting under the WACO banner.
01:30In addition, wins or losses from local fighters from fights under the Kickboxing Federation
01:35are not registered or ranked internationally.
01:38So we have a fighters page in the world where you can search any fighter and we are in the
01:45process right now of getting hooked up with that so that we can register all the fighters
01:50that are in fight facts or something, where not in the boxing, where you can get these
01:55records of fighters.
01:56We are now in the process of doing that.
01:59Amateur kickboxers are also not supposed to be paid.
02:02Fighters that compete under the Federation, are they paid?
02:07No, they are amateur, right?
02:10But we do have a professional league also running, we have one or two professional fighters.
02:15Alright, so when they get injured, what is there to look after them?
02:21Well, it's just like in boxing, right?
02:24You don't have no insurance.
02:26Fighters therefore stand the cost of the damages they suffer in the ring on their own with
02:31only a belt and bragging rights to show.
02:33However, Ramuta indicated that judges and referees are paid and so too the promoters.
02:40The gate receipts from money you make from fans and stuff, that is all pocketed by the
02:49promoters?
02:50Yes.
02:51Okay.
02:52Right?
02:53It is, and I don't know if there is break even or if there is cover the cost because
02:57it's a lot of money that is put out to do this sport, the event.
03:03However, I think they should be making some money, I hope they make some money, I don't
03:07ask that.
03:08I don't ask what money they make at the gate, that is their business, right?
03:11Once obviously they do all the checks and balances when it comes to safety and so on,
03:16that's my concern.
03:17Fighting under Wako may mean changes to their profit margins as well.
03:21It's a decision the Kickboxing Federation members are expected to vote on in the coming
03:26weeks.
03:27Sergio Dufour, TV6 report.
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