King Charles has highlighted the potential of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to support young people during a visit to one of the world's leading academies in London. The monarch toured the Roger Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Hammersmith, west London, where he observed training sessions and met prominent figures from the sport, including rapper Tinie Tempah.
Royal Interest in Martial Arts
The King watched students engage in sparring bouts on the mats and spoke with founder of Reorg, Sam Sheriff, a charity that teaches martial arts to military personnel, veterans, and emergency service workers. Charles expressed his long-standing desire to champion Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and its benefits for disenfranchised youth.
Tinie Tempah's Role
Tinie Tempah, who took up the sport thanks to actor Tom Hardy, shared his conversation with the King. According to Tempah, Charles said he had been discussing the idea with Idris Elba and suggested Tempah could help. Tempah stated: "He was basically saying that he’s been wanting to champion this in some capacity for ages, and that he has been talking to Idris (Elba) about it, and maybe I could be of service in some capacity. Because he wants to use it to help young people, and I said to him that that is basically my ambition."
Plans for Youth Charity
Tempah elaborated on his own vision: "I want to set up some sort of charity or infrastructure where we can get young people from year nine and upwards who are a bit disenfranchised, maybe they’re from challenged backgrounds, things going on at home, maybe on the verge of going into gangs… to just come (to a club) because there’s hundreds of this around London and the country, hundreds of these clubs."
The King's visit underscores a growing recognition of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a tool for social good, with potential to steer at-risk youth toward positive activities.
