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18/08/08 - American Top Team coach quits
American Top Team coach Andre Benkei has quit the gym and criticised it for turning into “a big McDonalds”.
He says he left because of ideological disagreements with head coach Ricardo Libório, according to Tatame magazine.
Benkei told the Portuguese-language MMA magazine that he does not agree with the ATT affiliate program, which franchises the ATT name out to schools across the country.
He said ATT has been “selling our work to people that take advantage of our name and never went to ATT, owners of karate gyms, that simply do a seminar and now have a right to teach MMA with ATT’s name”.
Benkei was particularly critical of Liborio, who he accuses of turning ATT’s “dream and hard work into a big McDonald’s”.
Now he says he is “definitely out of ATT” but will continue to work with some of the athletes on a personal basis.
Thiago Alves, Thiago Silva and Marcus Aurélio are among a number of athletes that have apparently told Benkei they will continue to train with him.
John O’Regan
John.fightersonly@gmail.com
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