The election of the new GAMMA Executive Board and Council was the main item on the agenda at the GAMMA Congress ahead of the African Games. Held in a hybrid format, the meeting saw the first elections since the organisation's inception in 2019, as well as the approval of a new constitution, which will take place at an Extraordinary Congress in Thailand.

While the position of president, held by Alexander Engelhardt, was unchallenged, the five vice-president positions were hotly contested in the elections conducted by renowned voting company Lumi, with Germany's Lusen Bakos coming out on top to take the position of first vice-president. 

He was joined by Jovinus Carolus Legawa of Indonesia, Gaji Gajiyev of Kazakhstan, Martin Skvara of the Czech Republic and Carlo Di Blasi of Italy. 

The five vacancies for the newly created Council positions were filled by Jun Hyuk Oh of Korea, Axl Jandhir Torres Zamora of Nicaragua, Tariq Ali of Pakistan, Domingo Jesus Dauhajre Selman of the Dominican Republic and Inna Leniu of Samoa. Erica Kerner of the USA and Xinghui Jin of China have also been appointed to the Council and will join the Executive Committee. 

GAMMA President Alexander Engelhardt (right) has been re-elected.
GAMMA President Alexander Engelhardt (right) has been re-elected.

15 new full members have also been added to the GAMMA community, including the African nations of Gabon, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Uganda, ahead of the African Games, where the MMA competition will take place from 10-12 March in Accra, Ghana. 

The African Games is a multi-sport event organised every four years by the African Union (AU), the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC). The Global Mixed Martial Arts Association (GAMMA) is the world governing body for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), with a vision to develop the amateur and grassroots sport and lead it to formal, international recognition. 

GAMMA provides a global platform for MMA participants through the growth of a safe, inclusive and well-regulated sport that serves as a positive force in communities worldwide, and through the organisation of elite, international amateur competitions. 

Led by President Alexander Engelhardt and headquartered in the Netherlands, GAMMA's membership has grown to include nationally recognised federations across five continents since its inception in 2019. The organisation is committed to upholding the Olympic values of sportsmanship, excellence and fair play, as well as the martial arts’ traditions of discipline, respect and humility.