BANGKOK — The International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) has announced stricter safety enforcement following the death of a British fighter on Koh Samui last week.
In a press conference titled “Not in Our Olympic Muaythai” held at Ambassador Hotel in Bangkok on April 1, IFMA officials presented crucial information regarding athlete safety measures after 30-year-old British national Joseph Itai Rinomhota died following a five-round Muay Thai fight against local fighter Superlek at Samui International Boxing Stadium on March 28.
IFMA Secretary-General Stephan Fox described the incident as a “tragic loss” and emphasized that while the press conference wasn’t meant to attack any organization, it aimed to advocate for changes in athlete safety protocols.
“IFMA will not compromise on safety for Muay Thai and firmly stands for protecting athletes, especially youth,” Fox stated. He announced plans to travel to Lausanne, Switzerland, to meet with International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry to report the incident and protect Muay Thai’s Olympic aspirations.
According to Samui police records, Joseph collapsed and suffered cardiac arrest five minutes after his first-ever boxing match. Despite initially walking off the ring normally after the referee stopped the fight in the third round following a kick to his rib cage, he was pronounced dead at 11:00 p.m. at a local hospital.
Dr. Sakchay Tapsuwan, IFMA President, stressed that safety must be the priority in all levels of boxing competitions. “We’ve questioned the local Surat Thani match organizers whether all regulations set by the Boxing Committee were followed. There are laws governing fighter safety, but whether practitioners neglected them is a matter for investigation,” he said.
Critics have noted that Joseph should not have been matched against an experienced fighter for his debut bout, and that he had been kicked in the ribs multiple times before the referee intervened.
Somchart Charoenwatcharawit, President of the Professional Boxing Association of Thailand, added that this incident serves as a warning that requires preventive methods and stricter measures, especially with Muay Thai’s Olympic prospects. “We must demonstrate that Muay Thai is a sport with standards that protects its athletes,” he said, urging provincial boxing offices to be more vigilant in enforcing regulations.
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