In Canada the Criminal Code makes all ‘prize fights’ (a broadly defined term that can even capture light contact and grappling events) illegal by default except amateur combat sports that are “on the programme of the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee“
The Criminal Code then gives individual Provinces the ability to change this default position. BC exercised these powers to create the Office of the BC Athletic Commissioner who oversee professional boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts.
In 2013 BC passed an Order in Council naming a host of amateur combat sports and allowing some to be conducted without the Commission’s oversight while forcing others to go through the Commission (namely amateur kickboxing, MMA, Muay Thai and pankration events).
Today this 2013 list has been repealed and now every combat sports event that meets the Criminal Code definition of a ‘prize fight’ has to go through the BC Athletic Commissions office. Even those on the Program of the International Olympic Committee. Unless the BC Athletic Commission approves the event it is potentially a violation of s. 83 of the Criminal Code.
This is an important new legal landscape that practitioners of both Olympic and non Olympic amateur combat sports needs to be aware of.
Below is the full language of the brand new Order in Council.
Below is the full language of s. 83 of the Criminal Code.
Prize Fights
Engaging in prize fight
- 83 (1) Every one who
- (a) engages as a principal in a prize fight,
- (b) advises, encourages or promotes a prize fight, or
- (c) is present at a prize fight as an aid, second, surgeon, umpire, backer or reporter,
- Definition of prize fight(2) In this section, prize fight means an encounter or fight with fists, hands or feet between two persons who have met for that purpose by previous arrangement made by or for them, but does not include
- (a) a contest between amateur athletes in a combative sport with fists, hands or feet held in a province if the sport is on the programme of the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee and, in the case where the province’s lieutenant governor in council or any other person or body specified by him or her requires it, the contest is held with their permission;
- (b) a contest between amateur athletes in a combative sport with fists, hands or feet held in a province if the sport has been designated by the province’s lieutenant governor in council or by any other person or body specified by him or her and, in the case where the lieutenant governor in council or other specified person or body requires it, the contest is held with their permission;
- (c) a contest between amateur athletes in a combative sport with fists, hands or feet held in a province with the permission of the province’s lieutenant governor in council or any other person or body specified by him or her; and
- (d) a boxing contest or mixed martial arts contest held in a province with the permission or under the authority of an athletic board, commission or similar body established by or under the authority of the province’s legislature for the control of sport within the province.
Combat Sports Law 