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The UK's Leading Independent Martial Arts Association

Representing more than 100,000 members through a professional workforce of 6,500+ instructors, assistants and volunteers nationwide. Multi-award-winning, ISO 9001:2015 certified, and recognised in Parliament for our work on safeguarding, governance and innovation across UK martial arts.

About Us

BMABA CIC is the UK’s leading independent martial arts association for clubs and instructors. Founded in 2012 with just £20, we’ve grown into a nationally recognised, award-winning organisation with a professional workforce of more than 6,500 instructors, assistants and volunteers, representing over 100,000 members each year.

What sets us apart is credibility. We’re ISO 9001:2015 certified under UKAS accreditation, our safeguarding standards are formally approved under the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts and listed on Sport England’s safeguarding pages, and our work on innovation, governance and grassroots reform has been recognised nationally, including in Parliament. Combined with our sector-leading digital tools and training programmes, this gives our members an association that is both trusted and practical.

Our Mission

Our mission is clear: to make martial arts safer, stronger and more sustainable. We exist to support instructors and clubs of every size with the tools, training and recognition they need to deliver life-changing martial arts in their communities. By raising safeguarding standards, investing in digital innovation and championing grassroots growth, we’re helping shape a better future for martial arts across the UK.

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Current Members

Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised

Independent. Member-First. Award-Winning.

BMABA CIC is a completely independent, multi-award-winning, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping clubs succeed, from safeguarding and insurance to qualifications, compliance and technology.

Our job is to help you grow your club and raise standards, without the politics, red tape or closed networks that have held martial arts back for too long.

Founded in 2012 with just £20 and a mission to change the industry, today we support more than 100,000 members and a professional workforce of 6,500+ instructors, assistants and volunteers across 200+ disciplines throughout the UK.

Independent, Not For Profit & Member-First

No government funding. No private investors. Just a self-funded, community-first organisation driven entirely by what clubs need, answerable to no one but our members and our mission.

Professional, Accountable & Politics Free

No cliques, no committees, no power games. A professional, full-time team sets and upholds high standards, so you get real support and straight answers, every time.

Built For All Clubs, Big Or Small

Whether you run a local youth class or a national organisation, you’re treated with the same respect. All styles and backgrounds are welcome, and everyone has a voice.

Everything In One Place

Insurance. DBS checks. Instructor training. Safeguarding. Qualifications. Club tech. Everything your club needs, under one roof and one renewal.

  • Credibility & Accreditation

Independently Certified.
Externally Verified.

Our standards aren’t self-declared. From UKAS-accredited ISO 9001:2015 certification to the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts, Social Enterprise UK membership and CIMSPA partnership, BMABA is verified by the organisations whose job it is to be hard to impress.

We've spent more than a decade leading from the front. While others watched, we built. While the sector settled, we innovated. And when clubs needed a voice, we spoke up. Today we stand as the leading force in independent martial arts, not because we asked for the role, but because we showed up, delivered, and never stopped pushing for better.

We haven’t been built through grants, industry contacts or big sponsorships. Our journey has been slow, deliberate and honest: one club at a time, built on word of mouth and trust, and on standing with clubs especially when it wasn’t the easy option.

From a £20 founding in 2012, BMABA has become a national platform for innovation, professional standards and genuine community support in martial arts. We’re now the choice of a professional workforce of more than 6,500 instructors, assistants and volunteers, representing over 100,000 participants a year, not because we shouted the loudest, but because we delivered real value, support and leadership where it mattered.

Today we’re one of the most highly decorated independent bodies in UK sport, recognised within and far beyond martial arts, from awards in governance and diversity to features across the BBC, ITV and national press. We’re also the only association of our kind certified to ISO 9001:2015 by the British Assessment Bureau under UKAS accreditation. Our standards, governance and processes are held to the same independent benchmarks trusted across British industry and public services, proven by official audit, not our own claim.

The partner behind the scenes for organisations across UK martial arts.

National bodies and style organisations trust BMABA with the critical, unglamorous work that keeps their sport running: governance, safeguarding systems, insurance frameworks, DBS infrastructure and the technology behind their platforms. Often used. Rarely seen. Always accountable.

Completely Free
Club Management Platform

Our completely free Club Management Platform is designed to put clubs in control. With built-in tools for managing members, payments, gradings, safeguarding and more, it keeps your club organised, professional and compliant without extra cost. Most clubs tell us they save several times the cost of their membership just by switching, and unlike commercial platforms there are no per-student fees, no tie-ins, and no holding your data hostage. Your club, your members, your records. Always.

Testimonials

What do our members say?

How can we help your club grow.

Top-Tier Governance

Stay compliant and confident with expert guidance on laws, regulations, and best practice. We help you stay ahead of changing requirements across the sector.

A Comprehensive Membership Toolkit

From free websites and our sector-leading club management platform to resources, templates, and specialist guidance, our toolkit gives you everything you need to run your club smoothly.

Industry-Renowned CPD

Access qualifications and awards covering safeguarding, first aid, coaching, trauma-informed practice, SEN, and more – all designed to set the standard for professional development in martial arts.

Insurances

Tailored, robust cover built with the needs of martial arts clubs in mind. Protect your instructors, students, and club with policies you can rely on.

Keep Up with Tech

Benefit from cutting-edge innovations at no extra cost, saving you a fortune on third-party subscriptions while helping you stay competitive with the latest digital tools.

Help Growing Your Club

Whether you’re just starting your first class or expanding into a national franchise, we provide the tools, expertise, and support you need to grow sustainably and confidently.

Celebrating 15+ years 🎉

Take Back Control Of Your Club

We’ve passionately believed that for far too long clubs have been forced to withstand politics, control and who’s who within their association. It’s not fair, and doesn’t need to be the case. 

It’s your club and only you know best what helps support your students. If you’re looking to go indepedent without dropping standards or losing support, BMABA could be the right fit for you.

BMABA vs NGBs — The Real Picture

There is no legal or Sport England-backed requirement to join a National Governing Body (NGB) in martial arts. BMABA CIC is not anti-NGB. We welcome and support clubs that hold NGB recognition when it’s the right fit. But we also understand that for many, the cost, red tape or internal politics can be a barrier.

We’re here to offer a credible, professional alternative, with or without NGB membership.

Sector-Leading Standards & Recognition

The Highest Standards. No Compromises.

No other independent martial arts organisation offers the same breadth and credibility of recognition. BMABA CIC is proud to hold ISO 9001:2015 certification under UKAS accreditation (Cert No. 267261), UK Learning Provider status, CPD Group accreditation, and formal authorisation to issue certification under the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts in-house. We don’t just meet the standard. We help define it.

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A Comprehensive Membership For Modern Clubs

Not-For-Profit, Instructor-Led, & Independent
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Not-For-Profit, Instructor-Led, & Independent

We’re a UKAS-accredited community interest company and we're a social enterprise built by instructors, for instructors - not a commercial insurer. Every penny is reinvested into grassroots martial arts support, safeguarding, and national progress, not shareholder profits.

Unmatched Tools, Tech & Training
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Unmatched Tools, Tech & Training

Access a full suite of resources including student systems, Club Manager software, licensing dashboards, CPD-certified safeguarding courses, digital certificates, and live compliance tools, all included with membership.

Regulation-Ready Governance & Recognition
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Regulation-Ready Governance & Recognition

We’re ISO 9001:2015 certified and nationally respected. From safeguarding and DBS to CHIMA, SYV, TIC and MHFA training, we lead the way on safety, accountability and good governance ready for a regulated future.

Trusted by Thousands, Respected Nationwide
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Trusted by Thousands, Respected Nationwide

More than 3,000 clubs and 6,500 instructors trust BMABA to lead on insurance, compliance, and club development, with over 100,000 members supported across the UK. We’re the gold standard for independent clubs.

We're here to help your club grow, the right way.

We’re experts in helping clubs grow ethically and professionally, with a focus on the best outcomes for your students.

Whether it’s in IT, marketing or social media through to safeguarding, insurance or legalities – BMABA can help your club reach new heights. This is always driven on the basis of being sustainable, ethical and fair.

A Professionally Run Organisation, Not A Political Quango

We set four key promises to our members back in 2012, and to date we’ve stood by each and every commitment. 

From a £20 Start-Up to a Nationally Recognised Powerhouse. That's BMABA CIC.

We're not here because of government grants, NGB status or Sport England funding. We're here because thousands of instructors and clubs believed in a better way. BMABA CIC is entirely independent, self-funded and not-for-profit. No shortcuts, no silver spoons, yet our work has been recognised in Parliament, on Sport England's own safeguarding pages, and across national media, purely on merit. Every pound we generate, more than £2,400,000 to date, is reinvested directly into the UK martial arts community. No gimmicks. No politics. No hidden shareholders.

We’ve built one of the UK’s most trusted martial arts ecosystems from the ground up: a comprehensive governance system open to every style, sector-leading vetting, safeguarding and compliance, affordable insurance, free club management software, and dozens of tools, licences and expert support, all included, all in one place.

We didn’t inherit a legacy. We forged one.

Whether you’re stepping out on your own for the first time or have always been proudly independent, this is your home. To high places by narrow roads isn’t just our slogan. It’s how we got here.

BMABA is an independent martial arts association built for the decade ahead.

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Professionally Run

A dedicated, full-time team led by our Chief Executive from purpose-built 1,250 sq ft offices in Petworth, West Sussex. Martial arts governance, run like the profession it should be.

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Unparallel Resources

Put what BMABA includes side by side with your current membership: the tools, the platforms, the licences, the support. We'll happily let that comparison do the talking.

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Technological Innovators

Technology isn't going backwards, so your club can't afford to either. Much of our sector still runs on paper licences and filing cabinets. We're at the forefront of digital innovation in martial arts, and we build our own.

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Led By Industry Experts

Alongside our dedicated in-house specialists across customer services, safeguarding and operations, some of the martial arts world's most respected practitioners guide our technical standards and procedures.

MULTI-AWARD WINNING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

Founded in 2012 by Giovanni Soffietto, with £20 and a point to prove.

A lifelong martial artist and natural entrepreneur, born into poverty, who turned £20 into a multi-award-winning national organisation that champions everything martial arts. Not through funding, contacts or luck, but through years of graft. That’s us in a nutshell.

Not sure if we're the right fit?

Lots of new members tell us their old association tried to scare them away from joining. See for yourself if we’re up to scratch.

ALL CLUBS WELCOME, BIG AND SMALL

See For Yourself With One Year's Free Membership

We know what martial arts is like, so we don't expect anyone to take our word for it. That's why we offer a year's free affiliate membership so you can see for yourself just what we can do for your club.

Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised

Best Sports Governing Body Initiative

Winners

Best Association Serving Sport

Finalists

Best COVID Response for Sports

Finalists

Sports Diversity Award

Finalists

Sports Association of the Year

Bronze

Best Sporting Association in the UK

Winners

Best Sport & Recreation Entrepreneur

Winners

Best Association Website

Winners

Association of the Year

Finalists

Executive Director of the Year Finalists

Finalists

Best Use Of Technology Award

Winners

Best Sport & Recreation Entrepreneur

Winners

UK Business Leader of the Year

Winners

Entrepreneur Of The Year

Finalists

Director Of The Year

Finalists

Young Entrepreneur Of The Year

Finalists

We’re Here When You Need Us.

Choosing the right association, or simply working out what support your club actually needs, isn’t always straightforward. That’s why we’re always happy to talk it through.

Whether you’re curious about membership, need help with something specific, or just want a no-pressure chat to see if we’re the right fit, our team is ready. No bots. No scripts. Just real people, working full-time from our UK office, who know martial arts and genuinely want to help.

THINKING OF JOINING?

Still Thinking It Over?

Choosing an association isn’t a decision to rush, and we’d never ask you to. Our team is here to offer honest, straightforward advice with no pressure and no sales scripts.

Whether you’re comparing support, questioning the value of your current membership, or just want to talk things through, we’re happy to help, even if the answer is that we’re not the right fit for you.

We’re a full-time, professional team with nationally certified standards behind everything we do. You’ll feel the difference the moment you get in touch.

Trusted by more than 6,500 instructors and clubs.

A National, Regulated, Award-Winning Not-For-Profit - Built From The Ground Up

BMABA CIC is a regulated, independently audited, multi-award-winning social enterprise, and one of the UK’s leading professional homes for independent martial arts.

We hold ISO 9001:2015 certification under UKAS accreditation, the same gold standard used to assess hospitals, universities and major corporations. We’re overseen by the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies, with a legal asset lock that means our income is reinvested into grassroots martial arts, never distributed as profit.

We haven’t been propped up by corporate sponsors or legacy funding. We’ve grown organically, one instructor at a time, by doing what we said we’d do. Since 2012 we’ve supported clubs through hardship, driven national reforms, and built a respected, professional home for independent martial arts.

Today we’re trusted by more than 6,500 instructors and clubs, supporting over 100,000 members across 200+ disciplines. Along the way we’ve earned national recognition, from awards in governance and inclusion to features across the BBC, ITV and The Guardian.

We didn’t inherit status. We earned it, by raising the bar and never compromising on our values.

HOW MUCH COULD YOUR CLUB SAVE?

Cut costs. Simplify your club. Invest back into what matters.

Our membership model is simple. By consolidating essential services and tools they already need, many clubs save more than the cost of their membership alone. No hidden upgrades, no shareholder profit, just practical support delivered by a regulated, audited social enterprise.

Empower Your Club With A Platform That Works For You

Run your martial arts club smarter with our full-featured, professionally built Club Management Platform, included free with your membership. Because it’s funded by our not-for-profit mission rather than investors, there are no upsells, no hidden costs, and no per-student fees creeping in later. Just powerful, intuitive tools that stay free.

Built to save you time, money and stress, and trusted by clubs nationwide.

Plus So Much More As Standard Just Some Of The Tools & Resources We Offer

  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Student Insurance & Licensing
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Safeguarding Qualifications
  • Enhanced DBS Checks
  • First Aid Training
  • Free Club Website
  • Club Management Support
  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Logos & Accreditation Marks
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Platform
  • Local & National Networking
  • Stock Grading Certificates
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Template Documents & Forms
  • Printing & Design
  • Safeguarding Code For Martial Arts
  • Best Practice Guidance
  • Wordpress Hosting
  • a.i For Martial Arts
  • Event Management Checklists
  • Safeguarding Model Policies
  • Analytics & Tracking Tools
  • Budgeting Apps
  • Professional Webmail
  • Clothing & Uniform
  • Cyber Toolkit
  • Cash Grants & Funding
  • Risk Management Awards
  • Concussion & Head Injury
  • National Advertising
  • Entrepreneur's Support
  • Plus So Much More
Why Do Thousands Choose BMABA?

What makes us different becomes clear the moment you look closely, from our award-winning governance to the depth of support we offer clubs of every size.

Whether it’s our industry-leading safeguarding standards, our not-for-profit mission, or powerful club technology funded purely by membership, there’s a reason more than 6,500 instructors and thousands of clubs across the UK put their trust in us.

— Stephanie Peacock MP, House of Commons Debate on Combat Sport Safety

"Organisations such as the British Martial Arts and Boxing Association support unaffiliated martial arts providers to adopt the safeguarding code… Providers with recognition under the code can display a logo on their promotional materials to show participants that their safety measures have been vetted.”

A VOICE FOR INDEPENDENT MARTIAL ARTS

Ministerial Commendation and Parliamentary Recognition

BMABA CIC has been formally recognised in the House of Commons as a leading voice on martial arts safety. During a Parliamentary debate on combat sport safeguarding, the Minister for Sport, Stephanie Peacock MP, highlighted the Association by name for our role in supporting independent and unaffiliated martial arts clubs to adopt the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts, helping to set consistent standards across the sector.

Following that debate, BMABA received a direct letter of commendation from the Minister, acknowledging our efforts to improve safeguarding and recognising the importance of our work in protecting children and young people in martial arts. This recognition at the highest levels of Government demonstrates the influence of our grassroots movement, and underlines the trust placed in BMABA to help shape the future of safe martial arts practice in the UK.

Stephanie Peacock MP © UK Parliament (Open Parliament Licence v3.0)

“I appreciate your ongoing efforts to make martial arts safer for children.”

— Stephanie Peacock MP, Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth

In her official response to BMABA, the Minister for Sport praised our work in raising safeguarding standards across the independent martial arts sector. She acknowledged our role in supporting unaffiliated clubs, described our input as “extremely useful” for Government policy development, and confirmed that our work will help inform the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s next steps in strengthening child safety in martial arts.

Built For The Sector - Not For Shareholders

BMABA wasn’t inherited or bought. It was built. And in 2025, we made the decision to give it away.

Our founder, who grew up in poverty and built BMABA from scratch with just £20, voluntarily converted the organisation into a regulated not-for-profit Community Interest Company, surrendering nearly £2 million in private value to protect its mission for the long term. That means no shareholders, no dividends and no profiteering, just a legal, permanent commitment to community impact.

We’re a registered social enterprise, governed by the CIC Regulator, certified to ISO 9001:2015 under UKAS accreditation, and led by a multi-award winning social entrepreneur who believes martial arts should serve the many, not the few.

This isn’t a badge of convenience or a business dressed up as a cause. It’s a movement, built for clubs, by clubs.

INCLUDED WITH MEMBERSHIP

Build or Transfer Your Club Website - For Free

Whether you already have a website or are starting from scratch, we can take care of it for you. Our team can migrate your existing site or build a clean, professional new one designed around how your club actually operates, fully aligned with BMABA systems and standards.

Your website is built to do more than just look good. It can support online payments, club shops, enquiries and member journeys, while connecting seamlessly with club management, business tools and secure email. You also get direct one to one support from our developers to make sure everything is set up properly and works the way you need it to. All of this is included as part of your membership, with no extra charges.

Nationally Recognised Standards

Our Club Colours and RegulationReady awards go far beyond branding or badges. They represent some of the most robust safeguarding and compliance standards available anywhere in UK martial arts.

Mapped directly against the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA) and formally approved by Sport England, our frameworks allow clubs to earn full SCiMA recognition directly through the MyBMABA platform, automatically and at no cost. We are the only independent martial arts body, and one of just two organisations nationwide alongside Sport England’s own NGBs, granted the authority to issue SCiMA certification in this way.

No waiting. No third-party submissions. No extra cost. Every BMABA member has access to this, included as part of our not-for-profit mission to raise standards from the ground up.

Others talk about safeguarding. We built a national infrastructure to deliver it.

Not Entirely Sure?

We offer a genuine 12 months of free membership, with no catches, no obligations and no hidden clauses.

Why? Because we believe you deserve to see first-hand what it feels like to be supported by an organisation that genuinely has your back. We know plenty of clubs have been let down before by associations that overpromised and underdelivered, so we’d rather show you than sell you.

Whether you’re looking for insurance, safeguarding help, student tools, guidance, structure, or simply a community that understands your club’s challenges, free membership gives you access to the same resources, platform and support we provide to thousands of instructors and clubs across the UK.

Take the full year. Explore everything. Then decide for yourself.

Raising Standards, Protecting Clubs

With RegulationReady and Club Colours, every BMABA club gains free access to the most advanced governance framework in martial arts: a gold-standard system built in-house, operated under our ISO 9001:2015 certified processes, and recognised nationally through SCiMA.

This isn’t a policy pack gathering dust. Your safeguarding, leadership and compliance are checked dynamically against live data, giving you instant certification, public recognition and complete transparency. No other martial arts body offers anything this comprehensive, and with BMABA CIC it’s included free for every member, because raising standards and protecting grassroots clubs is what we do.

The UK's Leading and Largest Multi-Style Governing Body For Martial Arts

BMABA CIC T/A British Martial Arts & Boxing Association
Registered Address: The Old Bakery. Golden Square, Petworth. GU28 0AP
Phone: 01798306546  | EMail: info@bmaba.org.uk

BMABA CIC. Reg. 10676965.
ICO Registration Number: ZA241917
Social Enterprise License No: 11677
VAT Registration Number: 373018216

Emergency Services, Armed Forces, RNLI and NHS front line staff are all entitled to 10% discounts across all of our memberships for life. This applies to all ex-serving armed forces and emergency workers too.

BMABA CIC is proud to hold the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management certification, issued under UKAS accreditation (Certificate No. 267261) — the highest level of independent validation for quality management systems in the UK.

 

 

BMABA CIC is an Introducer Approved Representative (IAR) under FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) Registration 308626.

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