State Duma (Russia’s lower chamber of parliament) member Sergey Mironov considers the unchecked functioning of MMA clubs to be a threat to the country's national security, RIA Novosti news agency reports.
He has asked the Prosecutor-General’s Office to investigate these clubs for any hidden connections with the preparation of Islamic radicals.
As reported, in a letter to Russia's Prosecutor-General Igor Krasnov, the parliamentarian requests the organization of an inspection of both accredited MMA clubs and unaccredited organizations that train fighters and hold mixed martial arts tournaments.
Mironov mentioned that, on February 8, the police identified such a club for illegal migrants in St. Petersburg.
The deputy added that there are around 500 such clubs in the capital, and thousands more across the country.
Mironov reminded that the terrorists who carried out the attack at the "Krokus City Hall" also trained at one of the MMA clubs.
Most Russian UFC fighters are from the Caucasus region – either from Dagestan or Chechnya (both are Muslim). Wrestling and martial arts are basically the #1 sport out there, it's more popular than any other sport.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world, it and similar “mixed” fighting sports were originally designed to be similar to street fighting.
Sergey Mironov (born February 14, 1953) is a Russian politician. He leads the faction A Just Russia in the State Duma..
Sergey Mironov, who is the chairman of A Just Russia, has proposed introducing visas for citizens of Central Asian countries and deporting not only the migrant committing a crime but also all their relatives. According to Caliber.az, he phrased this proposal as follows: "The whole family, the entire clan – back home." Additionally, it was suggested to impose a five-year ban on acquiring firearms and receiving maternity capital, even for those who have obtained Russian citizenship.
