Kun Khmer Expands Training Across South America
The Kun Khmer International Federation plans to extend training workshops to more South American countries after a three-day session in Santiago, Chile.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Mixed Martial Arts
The three-day Kun Khmer South America Training Workshop was held in Santiago from October 30 to November 1, bringing together 65 coaches, experts and athletes. The Kun Khmer International Federation now plans to extend its training programmes to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and other countries across the continent.
Why it matters
The federation says the expansion aims to attract more coaches and athletes across South America and to help pave the way for Kun Khmer's inclusion in the Olympic Games. The workshop was led by Albert Veera Chey, who shared technical knowledge with local coaches and athletes.
The Santiago workshop drew 65 coaches, experts and athletes over three days, according to federation reporting. The source does not provide comparable attendance figures from earlier sessions, and no dates have been set for the proposed follow-on workshops.
The players
Kun Khmer International Federation
The international governing body for the Cambodian martial art of Kun Khmer, which dispatched the instructor and announced plans to expand training across South America.
Khov Chhay
Secretary-general of the Kun Khmer International Federation and president of the Kun Khmer Federation, who issued the expansion statement.
Albert Veera Chey
A Cambodian living in France who heads The Temple Kun Khmer club in Bordeaux and led the Santiago workshop.
The details
Albert Veera Chey, a Cambodian living in France who heads The Temple Kun Khmer club in Bordeaux, was dispatched by the federation to lead the Santiago training. Chilean organisers Juan Marcelo Gallardo Silva and Waldemar Mardonez supported the event, as did Kombat Global president Rick Shin, and federation leader Khov Chhay announced the expansion in a statement on his official Facebook page.
Timeline
October 30 to November 1, 2026: Three-day Kun Khmer training workshop held in Santiago, Chile.
November 10, 2026: Article announcing expansion plans published.
Season Trajectory
The federation frames the South American workshops as a step toward Kun Khmer's eventual Olympic inclusion, a long-term goal it has publicly stated. Whether the expansion will meaningfully advance that ambition depends on the follow-on programmes that have not yet been scheduled.
For practitioners and fans in South America, the workshops could offer the first in-region access to Kun Khmer instruction if the planned tours proceed. The source gives no dates or locations for those sessions, so any near-term impact remains unconfirmed.
The takeaway
Kun Khmer's South American push is still in an early stage, with a successful Santiago workshop as its only confirmed step. Readers following the sport should watch for announced dates in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Mixed Martial Arts.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Khmer Times.
