Muay Thai has been shown in virtual reality at the Olympic Games in Paris, France. What is its significance? It was brought to you by Somyot Dangyuan during the scouting period at the Paris Games 2024.
This is an important step for ‘Muay Thai’ in the process of pushing for ‘Muay Thai’ to be considered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be included in the Olympic Games in the future. Between August 2-9, in the activity of bringing ‘Muay Thai’ to be shown in a virtual competition during the 2024 Olympic Games ‘Paris Games’ in Paris, France, including organizing a training course on Muay Thai standards One Standard Muaythai (OSM) at the Teddy Reiner Arena under the push of the International Federation of Muay Thai Associations (IFMA) led by Dr. Sakchai Tapsuwan, President of the International Federation of Muay Thai Associations (IFMA), Stephane Fox, Secretary-General of the IFMA, joining forces with the French National Olympic Committee and ‘Buakaw Banchamek’ Lieutenant Sombat Banchamek, a world-
famous Muay Thai boxer who came to show off his Muay Thai Wai Khru style.
Including the performance of Thai boxing drums and flutes, the Wai Khru ceremony, according to the correct Muay Thai art and culture, amidst the interest of foreign sports fans who came to watch Buakaw’s Wai Khru ceremony of Muay Thai, and there were 28 IFMA member countries sending Muay Thai boxers to participate in a fully virtual competition at the Club France Fan Zone Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, joining in creating this important history together. Throughout the organization of the competition, Muay Thai has been under the watchful eye of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
This is considered an important step towards realizing the dream of Thai people to push for the sport of “Muay Thai” to be included in the Olympic Games, whether it be in 4 years from now in 2028 in Los Angeles, USA or 4 years from now in 2032 in Brisbane, Australia. Soon, Thai people will see cultural heritage like “Muay Thai” accepted and competed in
the Olympic Games
Source: Thai News Agency