The Hayri Doğan Hozanlı Türkiye Youth Muaythai Championship brought together a record number of young athletes from across Türkiye between 14 and 18 July. Over five days, male and female participants competed for places on the national youth team that will represent the country at the International Federation of Muaythai Associations -IFMA- Youth World Championships, scheduled for November in Olympia, Greece.
The national competition coincides with IFMA’s growing involvement in international school sport. Its collaboration with the International School Sport Federation -ISF- led to the inaugural Muaythai School World Championships in June and created another pathway for introducing the discipline to young people from different countries and age groups. The Turkish championship and the school sport project operate at different levels, but both focus on athlete development, equal opportunities for boys and girls and the transmission of Muaythai’s cultural values.
Türkiye combines national selection, equality and technology
The Turkish championship progressed through elimination rounds, quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals delivered to international standards. It also introduced an advanced digital system providing real-time scores, timing and information for every bout. “Building a transparent, traceable and technology-driven system is essential for the future of our sport. That is why we continue to invest in education and strong infrastructure at every level of development,” explained Hasan Yıldız, president of the Turkish Muaythai and Jujitsu Federation.
The federation is officially recognised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Turkish National Olympic Committee, whose representatives attended the championship alongside regional and local authorities. Lennert Swart, chair of the IFMA Athletes’ Commission, highlighted the investment in grassroots development: “Great champions are built through strong grassroots programmes. Türkiye continues to set an excellent example by investing in young athletes, promoting gender equality and creating opportunities for the next generation.” The competition also honoured Hayri Doğan Hozanlı, whose contribution to the development of Turkish Muaythai gives the tournament its name.
The School World Championships connect five continents
The second part of this youth development strategy took place from 18 to 21 June in Kuala Lumpur. The inaugural Muaythai School World Championships, organised through the cooperation between IFMA and ISF, brought together 1,480 athletes from five continents. Participants as young as six competed in age groups ranging from under-8 to under-18 across combat, Wai Kru and Mai Muay. The inclusion of the latter two disciplines presented Muaythai both as a competitive sport and as a cultural tradition centred on respect and education.
One of the championship’s main ceremonies honoured Željko Tanasković, president of ISF. Young athletes from different countries performed the Wai Kru before him, following the ritual through which practitioners show respect for their teachers and tradition. Grand Master Ajahn Sawaeng then presented him with the official golden Mongkon —the ceremonial headband worn by athletes before competing— and an IFMA medal. The gesture symbolically welcomed him as an honorary member of the international Muaythai family and represented the relationship established between the two federations.
From school sport to the Youth World Championships in Olympia
The partnership brings Muaythai into the international school sport calendar and gives participants in the early stages of their development an opportunity to gain international experience. Alongside the bouts, the School World Championships included cultural activities and opportunities for delegations to interact. Türkiye’s national structure provides another stage of that pathway through official competitions, athlete selection, coach education and technological systems that allow every result to be tracked.
The next international objective will be the IFMA Youth World Championships, which will take place in Olympia from 6 to 16 November. Türkiye will select its team following the national championship in July, while IFMA will arrive in Greece after expanding its presence within school sport. Together, the two initiatives create a pathway that begins with participation and education, continues through national championships and gradually gives young athletes access to competition on the world stage.
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