Sport Jiu-Jitsu International Federation
The Sport Jiu-Jitsu International Federation is a non-profit organisation, one of the international governing bodies for the sport of Brazilian jiu-jitsu with the goal of making it an Olympic sport. The SJJIF hosts several tournaments, its most renowned being the SJJIF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
History
In 1967, a federation known as the Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Guanabara was established by Hélio Gracie, Alvaro Barreto and Oswaldo Fadda under the supervision of the National Sports Council, Brazil sports governing body, with the aim of developing a competitive sport version of jiu-jitsu, at the time a self-defence and street fighting art. In June 1973, jiu-jitsu was officially recognised as a sport, in December, the first championship was organised in Rio de Janeiro, marking the beginning of sport Jiu-Jitsu. In 2005 the North American Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Federation was created.In June 2011 the Sport Jiu-Jitsu International Federation, was established as a non-profit organisation with the aim of meeting the International Olympic Committee requirements and promoting jiu-jitsu as a sport around the world. The SJJIF is considered the world governing body for the sport of Sport Jiu Jitsu. Speaking to the New York Times, João Silva, president of the SJJIF stated that the federation was seeking to unify the sport to gain Olympic recognition.