The International Federation of Muay Thai got some good news yesterday — provisional International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition, which is the first approval in a long line of steps needed to become an Olympic sport.
This means that the 135 national Muay Thai federations, which boast 400,000 registered members, will get USD25,000 in Olympic funding annually for training and development, reported Khaosod English.
Sports director of the IOC, Kit McConnell, noted that the provisional recognition lasts for three years. In that period, the board can advocate for full recognition, which is the next step toward becoming an Olympic sport.