Is Muay Thai at the 2024 Summer Olympics?

There are five sports closely associated with combat sports. Boxing, Judo, wrestling, taekwondo, fencing, and weightlifting are all events we ar FanSided MMA recognize that MMA fans might be interested in. Unfortunately, there's still no MMA category in the Olympics but there are steps being taken to recognize Muay Thai, which is a step in the right direction.

Though not an official Olympic sport, the International Federation of Muay Thai Associations (IFMA) confirmed that Muay Thai will be allowed to hold a demonstration at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. What this means is that Muay Thai competitions will take place and it's hoped that more eyes shining on the sport could, in turn, lead to the sport being included in official games in the future.

According to The Nation, "A dedicated Muay Thai workshop will be hosted at the Boxing House in the Olympic Park for five days, with August 5 and 6 serving as the focal points. The specially constructed Muay Thai stadium at Club France will showcase two full days of action-packed bouts, boasting 10 hours of matches daily, featuring athletes from 24 countries, including Thailand."

Also announced is the participation of Thai boxer Buakaw Banchamek in the event and the Wai Khru ceremony.

Is MMA an Olympic sport?

Many have wondered if an MMA showcase could be next and so far, we haven't heard of anything like that happening. In 2022 UFC president Dana White expressed his desire to see it at the Olympics.

“I think it should be an Olympic sport already,” White said Wednesday during a UFC fan Q&A. “It’s not my job. It’s not what I’m looking to do. I’m not pushing to turn this thing into an Olympic sport. I agree with whoever said that, yes. And not to mention the fact that one of the big problems the Olympics is having right now, is viewership. You want viewers? Put MMA in the Olympics. ”