Posted on August - 26 - 2010
Canada’s doctors KO mixed martial arts
ICON
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — Canada’s doctors wrestled with the idea of calling for a ban on mixed martial arts matches at their general council meeting Wednesday, but in the end, supported it with a clear majority.
The wording of the original motion — brought to the Canadian Medical Association’s national conference by doctors from British Columbia — was changed several times before it was finally put to a vote Wednesday morning.
It first called for a ban just on mixed martial arts fighting, and after two sessions of debate on Tuesday and Wednesday, it eventually called for the CMA to advocate a ban on “mixed martial arts prizefighting.”
Eighty-four per cent of delegates at the meeting, which is known as the medical profession’s parliament, supported the motion.
The outgoing president of the CMA, Dr. Anne Doig, said the position shows Canada’s doctors are committed to caring for patients.
“This is an activity that leads to serious issues, including damage to people’s brains and we must speak out against that,” she said at a closing news conference. Doig said it’s up to legislators to decide whether to make MMA illegal, but that doctors were compelled to weigh in on the debate.
“Canada’s physicians oppose an activity that would directly lead to the maiming and injury of Canadians,” she said.
The original motion was modified to avoid calling for recreational forms of martial arts to be outlawed.
“I’m very happy with it passing,” said Dr. Gordon Mackie, the physician who originally pitched the idea. “The right issues were raised and the consensus was strong.”
Physicians say violent mixed martial arts contests — popularized in North America by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) series — put participants at high risk for brain injuries. Repetitive brain injuries can lead to progressive neurological deterioration, according to the doctors who spoke in favour of the ban.
Two MMA fighters in the U.S. have died of injuries sustained during matches. Michael Kirkham died from bleeding inside the brain in June, and in 2007, Sammy Vasquez died after a competition.
Proponents of MMA fighting, however, say there is no evidence the sport is any more dangerous than other contact sports, such as boxing, and that there is a long list of rules that fighters must follow.
The mixed martial arts motion was one that stirred significant debate among the doctors gathered from across the country during their three-day meeting. While most supported the idea of calling for a ban generally, some expressed concern that if legislators nationwide made it illegal, it would be driven underground. Others wanted the CMA to put off taking a side on the debate and have the organization that represents more than 70,000 physicians study it more.
Dr. Susan King, a family physician from St. John’s, N.L., was pleased the original motion was changed to specify that it’s the prizefighting type of contests that the CMA is against. King practises taekwondo two to three times a week.
“There’s a whole series of people who practise this in what you might call a legitimate way where the purpose is not to maim or injure somebody,” King said.
“In mixed martial arts prizefighting, it’s a bit of a free-for-all, it’s cage fighting, it’s back to the Roman days of gladiator fighting,” King said. “It’s a blood sport.”
Organizers of the UFC events have been fighting for permission to host competitions across Canada and their lobbying efforts recently paid off earlier this month, when Ontario became the latest province to allow them.
The fights are still banned in Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon and Nunavut and in New Brunswick, with the exception of Moncton.
Where they are allowed, UFC fights draw large crowds, and huge revenues.
The Ontario government is estimating that a single event could attract as many as 30,000 fans and generate as much as $6 million in local economic activity.
While MMA appears to be gaining more support from legislators, the CMA still hopes to have some influence on the controversial issue.
“I think the doctors of Canada, when we speak with one voice, I think it holds a lot of weight,” said King.
Mixed martial arts isn’t the only activity Canada’s doctors want banned — they also voted for a ban on fake tanning for people under age 18. The CMA wants governments to require signage in tanning salons telling users about the “carcinogenic potential and overall health risks” associated with artificial tanning.
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