Today USADA announced a 180 degree turn on a doping suspension they handed out in 2017. Amanda Ribas tested positive for ostarine following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on June 7, 2017. USADA handed her a 2 year suspension. Ribas “accepted” this sanction. As the suspension neared completion USADA announced that ‘time served is punishment … More Ostarine, Contamination and a Question For USADA
Update May 21, 2019– On Second Reading some of the below text of the Bill has been overhauled. The general substance of the below article remains accurate but for those following this legal development reference should be made to the overhauled language of Bill 100. ________________________________________________________ Last month the Ontario Government’s budget announced plans to … More Ontario Reveals New Combat Sports Act
The Asian combat sports promotion One Championship has just released details of a controversial agent licencing program. In a tweet last night Ariel Helwani published the following details apparently coming from a One Championship press release: …ONE Championship has increased requirements and standards for the ONE Agent Certification Program. The ONE Agent Certification was originally … More ONE Championship Announces Controversial “Agent Certification Program”
Tonight Terence Crawford defeated Amir Khan. The bout ended after Khan could not continue following a low blow. The shot was ruled accidental and Crawford was declared the winner via TKO. So can you win a bout after hitting an opponent with a low blow? The answer, in some jurisdictions, is yes. New York, where … More Let’s Talk New York’s “Low Blow” Rule
From deferring to promoters regarding drug testing to documented regulatory safety concerns Ontario combat sports regulation holds room for improvement. The Provincial Government’s 2019 budget suggests changes are coming. While the details of the legal changes are not entirely clear the budget notes overhaul is contemplated for both amateur and professional combat sports. The budget … More Ontario Budget Suggests “Wider Range” of Combat Sports Are Coming
As previously discussed, UFC owner Zuffa employs an aggressive two pronged legal strategy against commercial establishments that broadcast their Pay Per View programs without purchasing a commercial sub licence to do so. Such Defendants are sued for cable/satellite theft and additionally the UFC seeks damages under the Copyright Act. When these suits are successful Defendants … More $46,000 Legal Fee Assessment Against Defendants Who Unlawfully Displayed UFC Pay Per View
Last year a physician published a case study highlighting a mixed martial artist who developed CTE. The physician suggested that in addition to brain trauma from strikes, frequent chokes in MMA could have played a role in the development of the disease. More recently Dr. Samuel J. Stellpflug, a practitioner of Emergency Medicine in wrote … More Doctor Notes No Supporting Literature That Chokes in MMA Contribute to CTE
When British Columbia first legalized combat sports earlier this decade the Province allowed individual Cities to opt out of these sports and ban them in their jurisdiction. Specifically section 59(f)(1) of BC’s Community Charter provided Cities with the power to pass bylaws that “prohibit professional boxing, professional wrestling and other professional athletic contests“ In 2014 the … More Vernon BC Lifts Professional MMA Ban Clearing Way For Sport’s Return to City
Adding to this site’s archived case summaries of combat sports piracy judgements, reasons were released this week by the US District Court, S.D. Texas, Houston Division, assessing damages for the commercial piracy of a boxing pay per view program. In the recent case (J & J Sports Productions, Inc. v. Round DHA, LLC) the defendants displayed … More $80,000 Judgement for Commercial Piracy of Boxing Pay Per View Bout
A pattern all too familiar in the world of anti-doping and combat sports is that of ‘tainted supplements’. An athlete tests positive for a prohibited substance. They deny wrongdoing and go through time money and effort to test all supplements they’ve ingested. A culprit is found with a supplement containing the prohibited substance that is … More Supplement Manufacturers Charged Criminally For Allegedly Selling Steroids
