LAC LA BICHE - Following the recent death of an Edmonton-area fighter during a mixed martial arts charity bout, Lac La Biche area boxing coach says a commission to oversee all combative sports in Alberta is a good idea.
The death of Edmonton boxer and MMA fighter Trokon Dourash in late November comes eight years after Beaumont-raised fighter Tim Hague died from injuries he suffered during a sanctioned fight. A recent decision to create a commission was made by provincial officials using an inquiry report that examined Hague’s death.
Ken Scullion a long-tme boxing coach and founder of the Lac La Biche Boxing Club says anything to make combat sports safer from the athletes is welcome. He explained that there are a variety of professional combative sports, and many of these are currently not monitored very well regarding safety. According to Scullion, these sports include mixed martial arts, bare-knuckle boxing, and white-collar boxing, all with the main of focus on entertainment and making money.
Provincial amateur boxing associations across Canada, he continued, register athletes and keep records on any injuries that may occur, along with records on existing and previous medical conditions of the athletes along with wins and losses. These, he explained, are kept in a file and must accompany boxers for each bout to be checked by officials prior to any fight.
While the amateur boxing program is well run and consistent, Scullion said, the professional side of other combative sports needs one body to cover all the various groups to ensure athlete safety.
“There are so many athletes that go from one form of combative sports to the next and their records regarding wins or losses and medical issues are not scrutinized by the group or body that they are fighting in.”
Earlier in December, Joseph Schow, Alberta’s minister of tourism and sport, issued a statement on improving athlete safety in combative sports in the province. According to information from the provincial government, a review to improve athlete safety in combat sports is underway.
Presently, Schow said, Alberta is the only province where combative sports are sanctioned by municipal governments. He added that he will be meeting with the province’s existing municipal combative sport commissions “to better understand what gaps and opportunities exist.” Part of this includes the establishment of a province-wide commission.
“As we review the recommendations and engage with our partners, we will also look at what steps would need to be taken to establish a provincial combative sport commission in Alberta,” Schow stated.
Scullion welcomes a general watchdog group for the safety of all athletes, but the long-time boxing coach says amateur boxing, or Olympic-style boxing, is by far the most supervised of the combat sports, and already has many forms of safety protocols that have to be followed.
Before competing in the ring, he explained, amateur boxers must prove and pass a medical exam by a doctor. Furthermore, amateur boxers at each competition must see a medical doctor the day of their competition.
“This doctor is at ringside for all bouts and has the ultimate authority over coaches, judges and referees stop a bout,” Scullion said.
There is also a considerable difference in the protection worn between boxers and fighters in other combative sports which, as Scullion explains, use lighter gloves-and in some cases-fight bare knuckles.
In boxing, Scullion said, coaches must be certified by the Coaching Association of Canada and are required to go through rigorous evaluations on their coaching skills. Coaches also make sure that their boxers are fit to fight.
“Prior to any contact sparring, the athlete’s coach is responsible to ensure that each athlete has the skills to protect themselves in the ring,” he said.
In the professional side of other combative sports, he said, uncertified coaching and neglect can be evident. Scullion explained that there is no protocol regarding coaching qualifications, athlete fitness, or medical issues.
“They are all over the map,” he said, adding that injuries may occur and kept as a secret to ensure success for the promoter.
While there is a certain amount of risk in any sport, Scullion says that over his 35 years as a boxing coach, he has always put the safety of his young athletes as the top priority. He is pleased that the province is also taking the steps to put the same priority on all combat sport athletes.
