Combat Sports Law

The Sikaran World Championships have been scheduled to take place on May 10 at the Winnipeg Convention Center.  The advertised events include ‘sparring’.  The problem?  A Sikaran contact sparring contest will run afoul of the Criminal Code creating a potential showdown with authorities in Winnipeg this weekend. As previously discussed, Section 83 of the Criminal Code makes … More The Section 83 Gap Rears Its Head in Winnipeg

With the 2014 Ontario Provincial Election triggered, now is the time for Ontario’s political parties to lay out their plans to address the legislative gap making many amateur combat sports illegal in the Province. To date the Government has been, to put it kindly, vague in identifying their plans to address this situation.  With an … More Which Ontario Party Will Fix The Amateur Combat Sports Legal Gap?

          ___________________________________________ Earlier this week I had the pleasure of making my third appearance on UFC Central Radio with Showdown Joe Ferraro along with co-guests Myles Jury and Brendan Schuab, discussing some of the latest legal topics addressing combat sports.   You can find the interview here. I’d like to thank Showdown … More Welcome UFC Central Radio Listeners!

One question that is yet to be judicially tested is whether grappling competitions are illegal under Section 83 of Canada’s Criminal Code. We know that amateur wrestling and judo contests are legal, unless Provinces pass laws to the contrary, as these are caught by the “Olympic Sport” exemptions in section 83(2)(a) of the Code.  But what … More Are Grappling Events Caught By Section 83 of Canada’s Criminal Code?

After covering what many consider to be the dryer topics in combat sports such as new legislation, regulatory developments, contract disputes and the like, I have finally come across a legal topic a little more interesting that the norm.  In short see what happens when the authorities in Thailand punish local thugs by forcing them in … More How’s This For Combat Sports Law? Punishing Crime with Muay Thai!