19:19, 12 October 2016

Journalists: Kremlin ignores scandal with children's MMA fights

The scandal around the children's fights in Chechnya had no effect on the interaction between Ramzan Kadyrov and the Kremlin, believes journalist Orkhan Djemal. Meanwhile, according to Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Project Director for Russia and Northern Caucasus of the International Crisis Group (ICG), the scandal may have a negative impact on the Ramzan Kadyrov's image among athletes.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 4, during an MMA tournament "Grand Prix Akhmat-2016" in Grozny, demonstrative children's fights were held. Three Ramzan Kadyrov's sons were the winners. Fyodor Emelianenko, the President of the Russian MMA Union, called children's fights unacceptable.

On October 6, Adam Delimkhanov, a State Duma MP and Ramzan Kadyrov's cousin, on the Instagram threatened Emelianenko that he would have to "answer for every word," said against Kadyrov's sons; however, on October 7, the post was removed. Besides, Timur Dugazaev, Director General of the "Akhmat Promotion" stated that in this situation Emelianenko had behaved not like a man; and Abuzaid Vismuradov, President of the "Akhmat" Fight Club, said about Emelianenko: "Who is he to give assessment of our tournament and fights?"

According to Orkhan Djemal, a "Forbes" correspondent, the scandal around the children's MMA fights in Chechnya "will not affect the relations between the sporting community and the leader of the Chechen Republic." Furthermore, Orkhan Djemal suggests that the scandal "will not affect the interaction between the Chechen leader and the Kremlin."

"If the competitions were held in any other region, not in Chechnya, the scene would have been likely deprived of attention at all," Orkhan Djemal told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Project Director for Russia and Northern Caucasus of the International Crisis Group (ICG), "there was nothing new in the scandal around the children's MMA fights." "We see a continuation of already familiar patterns of behaviour. Therefore, it had no effect on the interaction with the Kremlin," believes Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya.

Nevertheless, she does not exclude that "the scandal around the children's MMA fights may negatively affect the image of Ramzan Kadyrov in wrestling environment."

"Athletes are likely to be personally offended by the behaviour towards the person respected in the environment (Fyodor Emelianenko)," Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Oleg Krasnov

Source: CK correspondent