This study is a few years old but came to my attention today when I was reading this recent article arguing that children under 15 should not be allowed to compete in full contact Muay Thai. In the article the authors cited a 2018 study of brain trauma in children who participate in Muay Thai. … More Study – IQ Progressively Decreases in Children With Each Year of Muay Thai
Alberta is a total outlier when it comes to combat sports regulation. Throughout all of CAnada and the US combat sports are overseen by Provincial, State or Tribal commissions. Alberta, however, does not have a provincial commission and instead allows municipalities to oversee these sports. In 2017 former UFC athlete Tim Hague died following a … More Judge Recommends Alberta Scrap City Athletic Commissions and Move to Province Wide Model
A study was published this month in the European Journal of Neurology suggesting that EEG readings may have promise in showing early signs of CTE. In the study, titled ‘Knock down the brain’: a nonlinear analysis of electroencephalography to study the effects of sub-concussion in boxers, the authors selected 21 boxers. They seperated the athletes … More Study – EEG Readings May Help Screen for Early Signs of CTE
An interesting study was published this month in the Archives of Neuropsychology breaking reviewing boxing brain trauma studies from the 20th century. In the study, titled Neurological Problems in Boxers during the 20th Century: a Review and Synthesis, the authors reviewed 45 articles addressing brain trauma in boxers published between 1928-1999. The goal was to … More Study – Fewer Neurological Problems Found in Boxers in Later 20th Century
Update May 14, 2024 – Team Combat League have yet to reply to my request for a statement. Today the Florida Athletic Commission did respond with the below troubling reply. One that suggests that if a licensee is aware a competitor was knocked out in training and did not disclose this to them they are … More Some Questions Following Ardi Ndembo’s Boxing Death
Concussion and CTE are serious occupational risks of combat sports. Despite these risks many have a false sense of belief in the ‘protection’ offered by gloves and headgear. According to the Association of Ringside Physicians “Headguards should not be relied upon to reduce the risk of concussion or other traumatic brain injury. They have not … More Fighters Call for CTE and Concussion Warnings on Gloves and Headgear
In Canada the Criminal Code makes all ‘prize fights’ (a broadly defined term that can even capture light contact and grappling events) illegal by default except amateur combat sports that are “on the programme of the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee“ The Criminal Code then gives individual Provinces the ability to change … More BC Overhauls Combat Sports Regulation
If you have a good fight record you probably will have better long term brain health than fighters with a losing record, right? This was the hypothesis in a recent study. Turns out the answer is no. In fact fighters with a better win/loss ratio had greater measurable brain harm than fighters with a losing record. The recent … More Unsettling Truth – Winning Fighters Found To Have More Long Term Brain Issues Than Losers
In 2019 Ontario passed a new Combative Sports Act into law. The legislation allows the overhaul of how combat sports are regulated in the Province. The law, however, has yet to come into force which will happen “on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor“. Despite this very long passage of time it … More Ontario Announces New “Combat Sports Advisory Council”
How old is old enough to consent to brain trauma? I’ve tackled this subject here previously. Its a worthwhile conversation. Last month a paper was published in the Journal of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy addressing this topic in detail. The authors go so far as to argue that full contact/combat sports amount to child abuse … More Is Sport Structured Brain Trauma Child Abuse?
Combat Sports Law 