FECAMTT at Fesporte: the meeting that opened JASC to Muaythai

On January 23, 2019, the president of Fesporte, Rui Godinho, received FECAMTT, the Santa Catarina Traditional Muaythai Federation, to discuss including Muaythai in JASC, the Santa Catarina Open Games (Jogos Abertos de Santa Catarina). The meeting, recorded by Mestre Paulo Ribeiro, the federation’s president, was the decisive step in a request that began in 2013. In November of that year, Muaythai debuted at the Open Games.

The January 23 meeting

The Mestre posted the photo next to Rui Godinho with the caption: “Fesporte president, Mr. Rui Godinho, receiving FECAMTT to discuss including Muaythai in JASC SC” (Instagram). Fesporte (Fundação Catarinense de Esporte) is Santa Catarina’s state sports foundation, the state government body that organizes the Open Games.

What Fesporte said in February

On February 12, 2019, Fesporte itself reported on the matter. According to the note, Rui Godinho received Paulo Ribeiro, president of the Santa Catarina Traditional Muaythai Federation, and the process would move on to the State Sports Council (Conselho Estadual de Esporte, CED). Also present were Frederico Leite, president of Afesc, and Valdeci da Silva, Fesporte’s sports director.

The note explained the rule for a new sport: it enters the Games as an exhibition event, spends two editions as provisional and only becomes official in the fourth edition. For 2019, the expectation was a debut as an exhibition sport at the 59th Open Games, hosted by Indaial, Pomerode and Timbó, with Muaythai and boxing sharing the same venue for three days.

A request that began in 2013

The 2019 meeting was not the start of the story. On June 17, 2019, the Mestre recalled the origin: “It all began in 2013 with a request handed to the Fesporte president at the time, Vadinho”, and thanked “Mestre Anoar for believing in the project from the start” (Instagram). Six years passed between the first request and the positive answer.

Confirmation in July

On July 30, 2019, Fesporte confirmed it: the process had been approved by the CED and Muaythai would join the 2019 Open Games as an exhibition sport, in Indaial, with bouts scheduled for November 5 to 7. The note repeated the cycle: one year as an exhibition sport and two as provisional.

From then on, FECAMTT organized regional qualifying stages across the state, with technical accreditation and trials in cities such as Joinville, Florianópolis and Criciúma. The debut is told in the article about Muaythai at JASC 2019.

Why it matters

Joining the Open Games puts Muaythai on the same calendar as Santa Catarina’s traditional sports, with support from municipal sports foundations and visibility for athletes. For FECAMTT, it was also a step toward the institutional recognition that, in 2025, was completed with its declaration as a state public-interest organization (utilidade pública estadual), told in this article. Learn about the sport on the Muaythai page.

Want to train in or support Muaythai?

Mestre Paulo Ribeiro coaches athletes and instructors in Balneário Camboriú and the surrounding region. To train, compete or get to know the federation, talk to him on Instagram @mestrepauloribeiro.