Event Reignites Safety Debate

Calgary Herald
(Calgary, Canada)
Mar 5, 2012, p. A.1
Copyright © Mar 5, 2012 CanWest Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Event Reignites Safety Debate

Doctors' Group Urges Outright Ban on Sport

By Sean Myers

As the wildly popular Ultimate Fighting Championship appears to be getting set to host its first live event in Calgary this summer, the issue of health concerns around the violent sport are again being debated.
The Canadian Medical Association, which has called for an outright ban of mixed martial arts prize fighting, doesn't like the implications of the UFC moving into a new market such as Calgary.
"The objective is to render your opponent insensible," said association president Dr. John Haggie.
"It's the commercialization of violence, it sets a very bad example for children. It's not a sport in my book. It's two guys out to pummel each other."
Industry sources have confirmed to Postmedia that a UFC fight card is being planned for July 21 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The booking has not yet been made with the arena and an application for a licence has not been filed with Calgary's Combative Sports Commission.
Nick Ring, Calgary's only fighter currently competing on the UFC circuit, said he'd be thrilled to be included on the card and fight in front of a hometown crowd.
This may be the UFC's first time venturing here, but professional and amateur mixed martial arts bouts have been held in the city for years.
Ring said the Canadian Medical Association's stance unfairly targets his sport over many others that can be more dangerous and even lethal.
"It's hard for me to believe that some of these doctors aren't putting their own personal biases onto what they think fighting is or how dangerous it is," said Ring, 33, who
"They might see it as barbaric, and they're trying to say that people shouldn't participate, but they're trying to use the injuries as an excuse for it," Ring said. "There are a lot of sports that are a lot higher on the list for injuries than MMA."
Since the UFC held its first event in 1993, there have been two recorded deaths in professional mixed martial arts competitions, compared with 70 in boxing between 1998 and 2006, according to BoxRec Boxing Records.
And both boxing and the National Football League have higher rates of concussions.
A 2006 Johns Hopkins University study showed knockout rates in MMA are almost half those in boxing.
In 2000, a study of NFL football players found 60 per cent reported having at least one concussion, and in 2009, the league commissioned a report that showed former players were 19 times more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's or dementia as the regular population for men aged 20 through 49.
The Canadian Medical Association also wants boxing banned. The organization believes sports such as hockey and football are different than combative sports because injuries are collateral and the intention isn't to knock out your opponent.
The UFC coming to town can mean an estimated $4 million injection into the local economy and would likely attract visitors from across Western Canada. The events are also widely televised through pay per view.
Shirley Stunzi, chairwoman of Calgary's Combative Sports Commission, said the event would be a chance to showcase Calgary to the world.
"It would be great for the industry, great for the sport, and it would profile the city as well," Stunzi said. "We'd love to see it come, for sure."
Professional and amateur mixed martial arts events have been running in Calgary since the '90s, and they all have to follow a unified set of rules recognized worldwide.
Stunzi said trauma doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians are always on site during events and the UFC would be no different.
"I work with trauma doctors at ringside, I'm very confident with what those doctors do for us," Stunzi said. "Those people are seeing athletes with concussions from all types of sports and activities and they come to our sport because they believe in our sport.
"There's a lot of regulatory component to it that tries to make it as safe as possible."
UFC has held events in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in the past, and Ring said he believes Calgary could become a regular stop.
"This is a milestone for Calgary," said the local fighter.
"I think UFC will be very pleased after they put their show on here and see what kind of support they get."

Summary:

"As the wildly popular Ultimate Fighting Championship appears to be getting set to host its first live event in Calgary this summer, the issue of health concerns around the violent sport are again being debated." (Calgary Herald) This article reveals the Canadian Medical Association "has called for an outright ban of mixed martial arts prize fighting."

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Myers, Sean. "Event Reignites Safety Debate." Calgary Herald. 05 Mar 2012: A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 30 Aug 2012.