So you want to run an amateur MMA event in Ontario and make sure you do so legally. With S-209 coming into force you’re ready to dot your i’s and cross your t’s. What steps can you take? The answer is none, there is currently no way to legally hold an AMMA event in Ontario. … More Why Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Remain Illegal in Ontario
The first and foremost job of any referee is to ensure participant safety. It does not take a deep thinker to appreciate that carelessness in this vital role can lead to unneeded participant harm in the realm of combat sports. This brings me to today’s topic, is there a useful legal avenue to challenge a … More Challenging A Licensed MMA Referee: Can Judicial Review Provide a Remedy?
The diverse landscape of MMA regulation makes for potentially interesting issues whenever the UFC dips their toes in a new jurisdiction. With UFC 161 bringing the organization to Manitoba for the first time a question worth asking is which substances run afoul of Manitoba’s Combative Sports Commission? Article VIII of the UFC’s Fighter Contract requires … More What PED’s Are Out of Bounds for UFC 161?
UFC 161 is in the hands of the Manitoba Combative Sports Commission making the event subject to Manitoba’s Boxing Regulation. As it presently reads, this regulation does not blindly adopt the Unified Rules but instead has its own list of fouls. While there is nothing controversial about this, one well-established foul that is not adopted by Manitoba … More Will Controversial “Downward Pointing Elbow Strikes” Be Legal at UFC 161?
The fact that Bill S-209 creates issues on the Canadian amateur MMA/Combat Sports landscape is a reality. If you want proof you need look no further than the below e-mail from Bill Bennett, BC’s outgoing Minister of Sport, who confirms that, “Bill S-209 will make amateur combat sports illegal“. The good news is the BC … More “Bill S-209 will make amateur combat sports illegal”
With all the dust settling from BC’s recent election the Government’s new cabinet was just announced. The new Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development is Coralee Oakes. Included in the Minister’s portfolio is the newly minted BC Athletic Commission. This is the Minister who is in the best position to address my voiced concerns … More BC’s New Minister of Sport; Coralee Oaks
There was much celebration in the Canadian MMA Community yesterday with the passing of Bill S-209. Now that MMA has a legal framework in Canada it is time for stakeholders to get to work with Provincial politicians. As discussed yesterday, Bill S-209 does not in and of itself make MMA legal across Canada, it allows … More Now That We’re Done Celebrating Bill S-209, Time to Get To Work
Canadians have embraced Mixed Martial Arts since the Sport’s inception. Despite this MMA has always been illegal in Canada. The long road to legalization is nearing an end with Bill S-209 now passing Third Reading in Parliament with a vote of 267-9 allowing for a legal framework for both professional and amateur MMA along with other … More And The Yeas Have It! MMA Given Legal Framework in Canada
(Image via BC Government’s Flickr Page) There is now official confirmation that BC’s first Athletic Commissioner is Dave Maedel. You can click here to read about his background. Maedel, who recently served as the Chief Sheriff of BC Sheriff Services, is now the first acting BC Athletic Commissioner. With his formal powers coming into force … More There’s a New Sheriff in Town for BC Mixed Martial Arts
This week I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the Jim Harrison Show in Kamloops to discuss BC’s new Athletic Commissioner Act regulating professional boxing and MMA. Jim was kind enough to give me permission to rebroadcast the interview here: For those of you who listen to Jim’s show that are visiting … More Welcome Jim Harrison Show Listeners
Combat Sports Law 