The BJJ Globetrotters association has for years been a type of spread-out (and free) “home base” for jiu-jitsu nomads. The organization is not only a way for traveling grapplers to connect as they make their way around the world, but also a team for competitors to register under if they choose to compete for organizations like the IBJJF, which mandate that athletes register under a team and coach. They don’t charge academies or students to join their affiliation.
Now, though, BJJ Globetrotters founder Christian Graugart has shared a screenshot of an email that he says he was sent by the IBJJF that suspends BJJ Globetrotters members from registering new members or renewing existing memberships.
Graugart shared an article — the content of which was also sent as an email — about the situation and said that he replied to the IBJJF with an email that laid out the following points:
|
” – We sign IBJJF forms for all our members to be able to compete, just like any other affiliation in the world. – Our team signing the forms are high level, highly decorated black belts with decades of combined experience in the art. – We verify the belt ranks of anyone we sign for with their day-to-day instructors. For black belts, we require rank confirmation from five black belts. Last week, we announced that all members must have verified their belt ranks with www.beltchecker.com, which will ensure even more trustworthiness of their rank, as well as allow us to always keep up-to-date with any controversy around their promotions, should this arise.” |
The belt checker website refers to a no-cost rank verification site created by Graugart to enable jiu-jitsu practitioners to have their accolades confirmed by others in the BJJ community. Prior to the site’s creation, the only verified way to confirm an athlete or coach’s rank was through the IBJJF, which requires a membership fee.
In the article, Graugart stated that he hadn’t yet received a reply from the IBJJF, and given that Globetrotters’ IBJJF memberships had suddenly been canceled with competitions just around the corner, he felt it prudent to share the news now.
Graugart has asked that anyone who wishes to voice their opinions on the matter contact the IBJJF directly at ibjjf@ibjjf.com .
The post BJJ Globetrotters Announces They Have Been Suspended By The IBJJF appeared first on Jiu-Jitsu Times.