I kinda touched on this on another thread, but though it deserves its own:
I travel for work (and always take my gi) and wherever I go I see BJJ Federations setup, but always (I haven't found an exception yet) they seem to be nothing more than standard companies.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a Federation have members, who vote for and elect people to do jobs? Say, for example President?
The IBJJF/CBJJ has Carlinhos as president, and from what I see cannot be voted out. I am currently living in Victoria (Australia) and here the AFBJJ has a president (funnily enough a Barra Black Belt) who cannot be voted out. Surely he is not a "president" but a "dictator" ... ?
I think a lot of people would like an opportunity to be part of the federation, to improve it, but can't.
good point but everyone knows its about the all mighty $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
GeezerDownUnder - I kinda touched on this on another thread, but though it deserves its own:
I travel for work (and always take my gi) and wherever I go I see BJJ Federations setup, but always (I haven't found an exception yet) they seem to be nothing more than standard companies.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a Federation have members, who vote for and elect people to do jobs? Say, for example President?
The IBJJF/CBJJ has Carlinhos as president, and from what I see cannot be voted out. I am currently living in Victoria (Australia) and here the AFBJJ has a president (funnily enough a Barra Black Belt) who cannot be voted out. Surely he is not a "president" but a "dictator" ... ?
Do you have specific examples of things the AFBJJ doesn't do so well? I thought Oz BJJ's compeition scene was pretty healthy in part due to the torunament schedule the AFBJJ has?
Doesn't John Will have his own rival federation (AFGBJJ or something like that)?
Surely without Pete and John Oz and NZ BJJ and grappling would be much worse off?
Australian BJJ politics are pretty intense iirc, people not being able to compete at comps run by 'the wrong kind of federation' or non brazilian black belts etc...
Although the IBJJF/CBJJ is the closest thing, we do not yet have a TRUE BJJ Federation(s) like they have in Judo, wrestling or pretty much any other sport.
Most all of the other "Federations" are just associations for someone's students.
Right now they are trying to create a non-profit American Federation.
shen -
Right now they are trying to create a non-profit American Federation.
It can't come soon enough. The nationality gets in the way of BJJ politics a lot more than it should.
shen -
Right now they are trying to create a non-profit American Federation.
Hopefully we will have one of these in the UK as well rather than one that is focused on the $$$.
Too many folks see it as a means to make money (on the IBJJF model)rather than a democratic and inclusive governing body.
Oh man... we need a proper world organization bad... it's holding the sport back!
What model do the IJF or FILA do when they put on tournaments, are they both not for profit?
Not all sports are run thus, FIFA, UEFA and the FA are businesses with an eye for a healthy profit margin afaik?
Ridgeback - It would be nice to see BJJ get organized like judo, but the chances of a bunch of Brazilians actually doing it are slim to none.
Organised only in terms of the organisation and tournament and cost stuructre i assume - the actual calibre of Judo in the US is pretty poor isn't it, there are currently more elite american bjj black belts/submission grapplers than there are elite american judo black belts i would guess.
I just hope that BJJ doesn't go the route of Judo and get rediculous with the rules. Sadly enough though i think thats the way it's headed.
The last IBJJF tournament people were getting DQ'ed left and right. Isn't bjj the sport that popularized Vale Tudo ?
usajj.com
let me know your thoughts.
Brazilians can't get their own country organized. What do you think a bunch of people from an extremely unorganized and corrupt country are going to do with a federation?
Its going to take a while before we have a legit Bjj federation in this country.
Sure, some are for profit and some are non-profit, the thing is to have a Federation run by a comitee who all have a vote; It needs to be more democratic in nature.
A comitee of people all students or cronies of the president who owns the Federation doesn't count as a true federation.
USAJJ.COM has got some good ideas. They are set up as a true "non-profit" corporation. We are also a true non-profit, albeit a state-wide org. We have a board of directors and you can find us on the Alabama list of non-profit orgs.
I support the move to non-profit status for the sport, as it is necessary to see it advance. Profit orgs were TOTALLY necessary here to get things going, but to get to the next level, you have to change.
Anyone is free to call or otherwise get in touch with me with any questions about anything.
And by "here", I mean the USA... or anywhere else, I guess...
look at whats happening with judo right now...I don't know whats better, a dictatorship or a democracy??
What exactly is wrong with US Judo right now? We are currently producing tons of talent... I am not sure where you guys are going with this, but, US Judo is much better than Australia's Judo in terms of producing elite talent.
And also, the remark about having more elite BJJ practioners in the US than in Judo is just plain hypothesis. See, unlike in BJJ, Judo does many things in major tournaments....1.) Drug Testing... I would love to see how many of the top BJJ guys piss clean... ahhhh.... 2.) Judo is organized as a not for profit. The mundials are clearly here in the USA for one reason, and for one reason only, monetary gain. 3.) BJJ has about 10 countries that may even qualify as having enough practioners to have a national governing body... Judo probably has over 100 at a minimum.
Comparing BJJ as a sport to Judo is like comparing thumb wrestling to arm wrestling... true, it is a sport, but, without true organization among all practioners, it will never be more than a fad... submission wrestling has a much better chance of making it to a world sport.
Just my opinion, as a judoka and a jiujitsu player. I love BJJ... I train all the time, but, I think it has some major weaknesses, too many egos and it is too much like a pyramid scheme.... or like the mafia, without actually having people killed when they skim off the top... they just move and make their own association... it is absolutely corrupt and despicably run by a few people.
JSho - I've only lived in Oz for a short time, but from what I've seen it is a bigger mess than the US (not in terms of numbers of people obviously but just the structure).
Peter deBeen, el Presidente of the AFBJJ runs it like a dictatorship and doesn't even pay refs. He charges extra money for entering absolute divisions and now has the insane idea to run comps on fridays and saturdays (not sundays). The AFBJJ comps I've been to have been the worst organised comps I've been to anywhere in the world. No doubt on this.
Then each state has their own little groups of Brazilians who couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery and none of them really get along.
And to top it off, JBW's federation is his own, and he isn't interested in running open competitions. Mind you, his isn't a federation nor does he call it one. And he doesn't refer to himself as "president".
And that I think is the main point. I think it's fair if these organisations make a profit - like FIFA or the IRB (world rugby). BUT THE PRESIDENT MUST BE ELECTED! Otherwise they are not a "president".
JuDoK@ - What exactly is wrong with US Judo right now?
Volmar, Rebmann, USA Judo suspends USJA....
John Will built his association so that there was a network of schools around the country training in BJJ. The reason that the comps are for members only is because it's basically a "family" get together once a year. It's our time to catch up with old training buddies and have some fun without the usual BS that goes on at comps.
Pete de Been has started holding the comps on Fridays and Saturdays due to the venue no longer being available on a Sunday. It would be an idea to move the comp to another venue but we shouldn't hold our breath. Although the numbers appeared to be lower, so perhaps he may be financially motivated to change. The last comp that ran went very well, everything was scheduled and worked. But of course the downer was the competing on a friday issue.
BJJ politics in Oz have settled down considerably. Everyone is basically doing there own thing.