“Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s Time!” BC’s Athletic Commission Coming Into Focus

May 15, 2013

At the end of the month BC’s Athletic Commissioner Act will be in force.  Once in force all “professional” MMA and Boxing Events in BC will be regulated by the provincial commission with Vancouver and other local governments being given the ability to outlaw the sport with the passing of local bylaws. BC’s First Athletic … More “Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s Time!” BC’s Athletic Commission Coming Into Focus

Concussion Lawsuits – Are the Floodgates About to Open in the MMA World?

May 13, 2013

This weekend another sports related concussion lawsuit has hit the media.  This time  its the NHL making headlines. The family of late enforcer, Derek Boogaard, has filed a wrongful death claim against the NHL arguing the League is responsible for brain damage the feared fighter sustained in his years playing professional hockey.  He had at … More Concussion Lawsuits – Are the Floodgates About to Open in the MMA World?

Why Post Concussive Consequences Should Not Be Blacked Out By the UFC

May 8, 2013

              As an MMA fan and lawyer who deals with the consequences of concussive injuries in my professional life I have conflicting feelings when it comes to witnessing a knock out in combat sports.  While it is the most exciting way a fight can end there are well understood potentially long … More Why Post Concussive Consequences Should Not Be Blacked Out By the UFC

Making Weight, Fighter Safety and Avoiding Tragedy

May 7, 2013

In a competitive world it often pays to take initiative instead of simply being reactive.  The same holds true in the world of regulation.  It is important to introduce forward thinking legislation instead of waiting for a tragedy to occur before bringing legal change.  This leads to today’s topic, rapid weight loss in combat sports and foreseeable tragedy. MMA, as with all weight-restricted sports, comes … More Making Weight, Fighter Safety and Avoiding Tragedy

Does the MFC’s Ban on WMMA Violate Human Rights Legislation?

May 3, 2013

With MMA’s ever growing popularity comes a greater need to comply with legislative requirements.  This is clearly in the long term interests of the sport and will help accelerate mainstream acceptance.  With this in mind Mark Pavelich, the outspoken CEO of Canada’s longest running Mixed Martial Arts organization (the MFC), voiced recent comments worthy of scrutiny. In an … More Does the MFC’s Ban on WMMA Violate Human Rights Legislation?

What Are the Risks of Chronic Brain Damage For Retired Athletes?

May 1, 2013

The answer, surprisingly, may be scientifically uncertain.  That said, some common sense observations can be used to bridge this scientific gap to conclude that there are real risks associated with long term participation in contact sport. Without marginalizing the discussion surrounding concussive injury and potential long term health implications, a recent study was published earlier this … More What Are the Risks of Chronic Brain Damage For Retired Athletes?

Minister of Sport Acknowledges Status of Amateur MMA / Martial Arts in BC “Is Not Adequate”

April 26, 2013

In my continued efforts to bring attention to the legal gap making amateur martial arts / MMA illegal in British Columbia (and most Canadian Provinces for that matter) I approached BC’s current Minister of Sport to address this issue.  Unsurprisingly the Government is wrapped up in the current election campaign and has no plans to remedy this … More Minister of Sport Acknowledges Status of Amateur MMA / Martial Arts in BC “Is Not Adequate”

The Canadian Medical Association Takes a Swipe at Bill S-209

April 15, 2013

Update: April 19, 2013 – The below article was republished at Top MMA News and I invite readers to also visit there for its discussion thread. Dr. Anna Reid, the President of the CMA, appeared on a local BC Radio show earlier this week and acknowledged that “we don’t have a lot of research available yet as … More The Canadian Medical Association Takes a Swipe at Bill S-209

The BC Open Is a Great Event…Too Bad It’s Illegal

April 14, 2013

I had a great time attending the BC Open Martial Arts Championships  this past weekend.  It was a competitive event and I was particularly proud watching my oldest son’s spirited effort demonstrating his Karate forms and my youngest son winning gold in point sparring.  Martial Arts have done much for the positive growth of my children through the … More The BC Open Is a Great Event…Too Bad It’s Illegal

BC’s Athletic Commissioner Act Comes Into Force on May 30

April 12, 2013

The BC Government has just published a press release setting a date for the Athletic Commissioner Act to come into force as of May 30, 2013.  The Regulations still appear to be a work in progress.  The gap for kickboxing referenced at the end of the press release is an unfortunate one and hopefully the act will … More BC’s Athletic Commissioner Act Comes Into Force on May 30