Combat Sports Law

This week the Association of Ringside Physicians had their position statement on eye injuries in combat sports published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine. The paper is titled “Eye Conditions: Position Statement of the Association of Ringside Physicians” and can be found here. Among the various recommendations was the call for MMA gloves to … More Ringside Doctors Call For “curved-finger MMA glove design to reduce eye pokes”

This week the Association of Ringside Physicians published a position statement on high risk fighters. The purpose of the document is “to guide ringside physicians in identifying fighters at higher risk, warranting closer evaluation before, during, and after competition”. The position statement sets out the criteria on which athletes are ‘high risk’ and reviews the … More Ringside Doctors Identify “High Risk Fighters”

Retired boxing world champion and MMA fighter Heather Hardy filed a lawsuit this week against Everlast and several other individuals involved in her career. In short she alleges that after a career in prize fighting and ascending to the very top she was left broke and broken. Hardy summarizes her injuries and current status as … More Heather Hardy Sues Everlast and Others For Chronic Brain Injury

The deceptively named Ali “Revival” Act is actually the Ali Destruction Act. It is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. If passed it harms protections the Ali Act gives professional boxers. Colorado’s Brittany Petterson, the US representative from Colorado’s 7th congressional district recently confirmed this “undermining” aspect of it in response to concerns raised by a … More Representative Petterson – Ali Revival Act “Undermines” Protections of Ali Act

The Texas legislature has just passed a law giving ringside doctors immunity from lawsuits if they are negligent in their duties. Senate Bill 842 updated the State’s Occupation’s Code with the following language: IMMUNITY FOR RINGSIDE PHYSICIANS.(a)Except as otherwise provided by this section, a ringsidephysician is immune from civil liability arising from acts withinthe scope … More Texas Gives Negligent Ringside Doctors Immunity From Lawsuits

This week at the Association of Boxing Commissions 37th Annual Conference changes were made to MMA’s unified rules. Specifically the judging criteria were overhauled to have the language more accurately reflect current practices. The main highlight can be summarized in one word – damage. The old version of the rules shied away from that word … More Damage! Brand New MMA Judging Criteria Approved