VICTORIA ? British Columbia has become one of the first provinces to act on federal changes by regulating and sanctioning four combat sports including MMA, pankration and Muay Thai.
The move follows legislation passed by the federal government in June that legalized professional boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA). That legislation, Bill S-209, also amended the Criminal Code to allow each individual province to grant permission for a ?contest between amateur athletes in a combative sport with fists, hands or feet.?
?They (the federal government) said to the provinces, essentially, that it was up to us to make a determination as to which of the amateur combat sports would be legal and how we wanted to deal with those,? B.C. Athletic Commissioner Dave Maedel said in an interview Friday.
Maedel?s office will now regulate mixed martial arts, kick-boxing, pankration and Muay Thai, meaning people will now need permission to hold any of those events.
?I?ll look to ensure the events are properly arranged, that the safety of the participants is the No. 1 priority for everybody,? he said, adding his office has the authority to deny permission for any of these events if it is not satisfied the requirements have been met.
The federal regulation also allowed the provinces to exempt certain combat sports from regulation, and B.C. announced Friday it has decided to allow wushu, karate, kung fu, grappling and jiu jitsu events to happen without oversight by the commissioner.
The federal rules also allow exemptions for amateur Olympic and Paralympic sports, meaning boxing, wrestling, tae kwon do and judo will also take place in B.C. without regulation.
Maedel said the province opted to regulate the four sports on the list because of safety.
?There?s a higher risk of injury in these sports,? he said. ?Seeing as the No. 1 priority of the province is the safety of the participants, that?s why we?ve chosen those four to be overseen by my office.?
In a news release, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Coralee Oakes thanked those who have been waiting for the new rules.
?I know how passionate organizations are about promoting amateur combat sport,? she said.
?I want to thank them for their patience while government took the time needed to make the right decision on regulations.?
jfowlie@vancouversun.com
Oscars 2013 barcelona vs real madrid renee zellweger catherine zeta jones charlize theron barbra streisand barbra streisand
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.