Since last year I have been pressing Ontario for answers about if or when they will exercise their section 83 Criminal Code powers to legalize amateur MMA and other non-Olympic combat sports. Ontario has finally provided a substantive reply and the Province advises that they plan on legalizing amateur MMA along with many other combat sports. … More Breaking News – Ontario Proposes to Legalize Amateur MMA
I have it on good authority that Manitoba is close to exercising their rights under section 83 of the Criminal Code to legalize a variety of amateur combative sports. Manitoba will apparently pass an Order in Council in the upcoming weeks. The OIC will designate a variety of traditional amateur marital arts as legal. These … More Manitoba Planning To Legalize Amateur Combat Sports
The Prestige Fight Club found themselves entangled in Canada’s criminal justice system after hosting an unsanctioned MMA event last year in Saskatchewan. Following the event Criminal Charges were laid against two individuals involved for hosting an illegal prizefight contrary to section 83 of Canada’s Criminal Code. In response the individuals charged sued the Government of Saskatchewan … More Illegal MMA Event Ends in Conditional Discharge, Lawsuit Against Government Dropped
This past weekend the Canadian Amateur Mixed Martial Arts National Championships (an event affiliated with the IMMAF) took place in Ontario and the Province, apparently aware of the well publicized event, appears content to look the other way instead of passing appropriate laws to allow such events to be hosted in compliance with the Criminal Code. … More Willful Blindness Remains Ontario Government Response to Amatuer MMA
Following criminal charges being laid after hosting an amateur mixed martial arts event without SMAA approval, the Prestige Fight Club has now sued the Provincial Government and the SMAA. I have obtained a copy of the pleadings which were filed with the Court of Queen’s Bench of Saskatchewan, Regina Registry on March 13, 2014. Prestige … More Prestige Fight Club Sues Government and Saskatchewan Martial Arts Association
Update – February 28, 2014 – the CNMMAF has now released the details of the format which, while may not be a good measure of who the best MMA competitors are, seems to take care in trying to avoid being labeled a ‘prize fight‘ under the Criminal Code. Here are the details of the tryouts: … More More on the CNMMAF “Tryouts” – Testing Shades of Grey in Canada’s Criminal Code
It was previously announced that an amateur MMA event was scheduled to take place in Ontario with the winners receiving a “free ride” to the CNMMAF national championships. The CNMMAF has now announced an overhaul of this format stating that “Due to the legalities of the CNMMAF hosting a National Championships…we have voted upon with … More CNMMAF Overhauls “Team Canada Tryouts”; Legal Problems Remain
There are a few developments in Nova Scotia which are noteworthy and point to the need for legislative overhaul for both professional and amateur MMA. On the amateur side, it is reported that a body called “The Nova Scotia Amateur Mixed Martial Association” will be designated as an authority to oversee amateur MMA in the … More The Problems in Nova Scotia…
Last September I highlighted an amateur MMA event which took place in Weyburn Saskatchewan without SMAA sanctioning. (The SMAA is the body designated by Order in Council 479/2013 with the power to sanction and oversee amateur combat sports in Saskatchewan in compliance with the Criminal Code). In a move that should come as no surprise … More Criminal Charges Follow Unsanctioned Saskatchewan Amateur MMA Event
Amateur MMA is government regulated in BC and events cannot be held without oversight from the BC Athletic Commissioner. Given this framework is there a place for a Provincial Sport Organization to help foster and grow AMMA? The BC Athletic Commissioner thinks so. I reached out to Dave Maedel and here are his views on … More BC Athletic Commissioner Supports Formation of Amateur MMA Provincial Sporting Organization
Combat Sports Law 