The union’s first vice president Radmir Gabdullin said on Thursday that the event’s organizer, the Russian MMA Federation, used legal loopholes to stage the bouts.
“Now is not only the time to talk, it is time to shout about these legislative holes. Solving these problems is only possible by amending current legislation,” he said in the union’s online statement.
According to Gabdullin and Emelianenko, the MMA Federation is not accredited with Russia’s Sports Ministry and is not authorized to organize events.
Emelianenko previously addressed underage MMA fights in 2016, after Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s three sons took part in a televised tournament.
On Monday, Russia’s sports channel Match TV broadcast Kadyrov’s sons — 11-year-old Ahmad, 10-year-old Zelimkhan, and 9-year-old Adam — in boxing fights.