Jiu Jitsu Without Borders: UAEJJF And Israeli Federation Agree on official Cooperation

Last updated on 15.02.2022 by

As 2020 came to an end, Jiu Jitsu registered another triumph, this time over politics, in a year that has been hard on everyone. Namely, The United Arab Emirates Jiu Jitsu Federation and the International Association of Competitive Jiu-Jitsu In Israel signed a collaboration and cooperation agreement to help the sport of Jiu Jitsu grow and to strengthen sporting links.

UAEJJF And International Association of Competitive Jiu-Jitsu In Israel Sign Historic Agreement

On December 19. 2020, the governing body of Jiu jitsu in the Emirates, the UAEJJF entered into a historic agreement with representatives of the International Association of Competitive Jiu-Jitsu In Israel. The meeting between the two parties was the Al Ittihad Jiu-Jitsu Championship which took place at the famous Jiu Jitsu Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Abdul Munam Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAEJJF and Senior Vice President of the Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) and Erez Alroy, chairman of the International Association of Competitive Jiu-Jitsu in Israel held a very productive meeting, crowning their encounter in the Memorandum OF Understanding (MoU).

This new collaboration was said to be a product of the collaboration was a productive outcome of the historic peace accord signed between the two countries in September. The “MoU” has been drafted in a way that puts the sport first and will help both countries improve both their local scenes, as well as their presence in the global BJJ scene.

UAEJJF And International Association of Competitive Jiu-Jitsu In Israel Sign Cooperation Memorandum

The Details Of The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

As per the memorandum of Understanding, the UAEJJF and the International Association of Competitive Jiu-Jitsu In Israel will both make efforts to grow, develop, and nourish the standard of Jiu Jitsu. The focus of both Federations’ efforts will be both local, in their respective countries, and international.

For example, one aspect of the “MoU” is joint training camps for both national Jiu Jitsu teams. This will allow professional athletes from both countries to prepare for special championships in a very competitive and high-level environment. Moreover, special championships will also take place to allow grapplers more options to prepare for the biggest events in global BJJ.

In fact, the UAEJJF will hold the AJP tour Israel National Pro – GI & NO GI tournament at the Leader Sports Center, in Ganei Tikva, Israel on March 20 – 21, 2021.

Technical expertise and workshops for referees and administrators are also covered in the memorandum.

What Both Sides Think

After the historical signing of the agreement, both representatives gave their opinions on what this monumental sports collaboration will yield in the future.

“We in the UAE are extremely proud of the comprehensive jiu-jitsu culture that we have developed, and we are honored to share our expertise with our counterparts in Israel. I would like to thank the generous support extended to us by the UAE’s visionary leadership in building bridges of trust and cooperation all across the world and I am confident that this agreement will empower a growing number of people in both countries to learn and benefit from the sport,”

said Al Hashemi.

His counterpart, Alroy stated that

“The UAE is a jiu-jitsu powerhouse, and it is a matter of great pride that through this agreement we will be working with athletes, referees, and administrators who are amongst the best in the world. This partnership has great potential to elevate the level of jiu-jitsu in Israel and also foster greater interaction between the people of our countries. We look forward to absorbing the knowledge that the UAE’s jiu-jitsu community possesses and work together to strengthen this beautiful sport”.

The Power Of Jiu Jitsu

While it is often said that sports transcend politics and all other kinds of barriers, Jiu Jitsu just proved that even some of the most sensitive political issues are no match for this sports ability to unite athletes.

Already spread around the world and changing people’s lives daily, BJJ is now even tipping the scales on major geopolitical issues. The memorandum that came about as a result of both the UAE’s and Israel’s love for the sport is just one example of the power of The Gentle Art in every aspect of life.

The result of this will not only benefit both countries involved, and the sport of Jiu Jitsu, but also countless others. The tournaments and camps will help the people of the two nations to come together, and hopefully, this sets a precedent for others that BJJ can be a tool of peace and prosperity, in addition to being the best possible sport out there!

In Summary

Jiu Jitsu is for everyone, but we already knew that. We also knew that it can change lives and that it can help people achieve huge accomplishments. It seems that the sport has now matured to solving international level issues that have been around for decades. I certainly can’t wait to see what comes next. How about you?