Ban Ultimate Fighting as well as Boxing...

[Lisa]

In a new report released yesterday Wednesday 5 September 2007 the BMA extends its call for a complete ban on amateur and professional boxing to include mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions.

The report comes ahead of an ultimate fighting event at the O2 arena in London on Saturday 8 September. MMA includes ultimate fighting and cage fighting. It takes boxing one step further because of its 'no holds barred' approach. The BMA's Head of Ethics and Science, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, explains why the Association is extending its anti-boxing campaign to include MMA.

"Ultimate fighting can be extremely brutal and has been described as 'human cockfighting'. It can cause traumatic brain injury, joint injuries and fractures.

"This kind of competition hardly constitutes a sport - the days of gladiator fights are over and we should not be looking to resurrect them. As doctors we cannot stand by while violent fighting tournaments are allowed to take place. Large amounts of money can be earned by participants, promoters and others linked to ultimate fighting but no amount of money can compensate for permanent brain damage and premature death. As a civilised society we should be campaigning to outlaw these activities.

FULL STORY

How many believe this to be true? That MMA and boxing are a "barbaric" like sport and should be banned due to brain injuries. Do you believe that more safety precautions should be in place like head gear to protect the brain?

 

[mini_dez]

I'm not so sure about the headgear. Head guards would mean that punches that would normally stop fights might not do so anymore, allowing for more punishment. I guess it's the same sort of arguement some people have for gloves- all they do is allow boxers to hit harder. I don't know the science of it all though so can't really argue either way.
I don't think it should be banned. People aren't forced into boxing these days. As my girlfriend says, "if you're stupid enough to fight". And yes, she's aiming this at me too, I'm hoping to be a fighter for my Muay Thai gym someday
I can understand why people want to ban it, and why the medical association would support a ban. But if they want to go on about things that people do that harm themselves then smoking and drinking are clearly bigger targets...

 

[meth18au]

Humans have held sporting contests, pitting two of our species against each other, in the ultimate test of physical skill and willpower for thousands of years. Rome had the Colosseum, Ancient Greece had the Olympics, we have a variety of contact sports. It is beautiful to watch to people, who have poured their heart and soul into their training- undergo the ultimate test against someone else who has done the same as they have. They choose, they have the right to make that choice.

Let it be- it is a stupid debate, and absolutely ludicrous to even consider a ban on a ringsport. It also sets the dangerous precedent of banning sports that may be considered by some people to be barbaric or carry a risk to the participants of causing harm. If there is one thing I can't stand- is this downward spiral where our society is becoming increasingly politically correct, to the point where it is bordering on pathetic.

 

[Drac]

Let it be- it is a stupid debate, and absolutely ludicrous to even consider a ban on a ringsport. It also sets the dangerous precedent of banning sports that may be considered by some people to be barbaric or carry a risk to the participants of causing harm. If there is one thing I can't stand- is this downward spiral where our society is becoming increasingly politically correct, to the point where it is bordering on pathetic.

Well said..

 

[mini_dez]

To add to my previous post, if they ban these sports they wouldn't just go away. Not after they've been around so long. It'd just be forced underground. And the illegal MMA bouts that would start would be a lot worse off as far as rules and regulations go than the professional ones that exists just now.

 

[Kennedy_Shogen_Ryu]

I agree with what was said earlier, no one is forced into fighting those who do it, do it because they enjoy it. It's not hurting those who aren't involved, they're not the ones taking the shots, they're not the ones who get the black eyes the concussions or the folded over ears. I personally feel this is one of those situations where if you don't like it, turn your head.

 

[CoryKS]

Just another example of arrogant pricks trying to rearrange the world until its just the way they like it.

 

[Kosho Gakkusei]

This is just like the morons who regulate the school systems to the point where kids can't play tag cause they might get hurt. Oh and what about, let's have games where everyone wins so their self-esteem doesn't get damaged.

Pitiful.

Socialism at it's best.

_Don Flatt

 

[theletch1]

It's only barbarism to those who have no idea what is going on. To some of my friends who have never trained in the martial arts a MMA fight looks just like two people beating the hell out of each other. To me and anyone else who's trained in the arts it's a beautiful thing to see the technical skill being employed by folks at the top of their game. That which we do not understand we fear. That which we fear we destroy.

 

[tempus]

I guess we should ban american footbal as well. Wasn't a Buffalo Bill's player potentially paralyzed from a helmet to helmet hit yesterday. We might as well add baseball and softball to it. I think some coaches were killed this year when they were hit with foul balls.

That group should be in the category of keep your opinion to yourself. If you do not like it then do not par take in it or watch it.

 

[Tames D]

I guess we should ban american footbal as well. Wasn't a Buffalo Bill's player potentially paralyzed from a helmet to helmet hit yesterday. We might as well add baseball and softball to it. I think some coaches were killed this year when they were hit with foul balls.

That group should be in the category of keep your opinion to yourself. If you do not like it then do not par take in it or watch it.

Better add Air Shows to that list...

 

[Andrew Green]

Ban it and it will go underground without governing bodies, I don't thik that will help...

People get hurt all the time doing all sorts of things, can't ban them all. Boxing / MMA get picked on because they look the most violent, not neccessarily because they have the highest injury rate. Definately not because they have the highest death rate. Other "safer" sports are far more dangerous IMO.

 

[thetruth]

I don't mind watching boxing but due to the fact the primary target is the head there is a proven link to brain injury. I personally wouldn't let my child box. Mixed martial arts has so many dimensions that the brain injury risk would be almost no existent due to the swiftness in which fights are stopped when someone is getting pounded and due to the many facets involved in the fight.

Having said that, adults can do as they please and it shouldn't be up to a doctor to ban it because it is hazardous to participants health. If they are going to do that then sports such as horse racing, which kills many more people each year around the world than all of the legally run fight sports combined should also be banned.

Cheers
Sam:asian:

 

[Tez3]

The Rugby World Cup is on at the moment and on Sunday I watched the South Africa v Samoa fight oops sorry mean match! Far more violence than the usual MMA fight lol! One Samoan was taken off injured after a nasty foul by him went wrong and he knocked himself out. There were punches flying, kicks going into to bodies and that's the stuff we could see, in the scrum I shudder to think what was going on. It's the scrums too that has caused a lot of nasty broken necks ( leading to paralysis in many cases) in club games.

I don't think they will ban MMA, I hope that people though will become educated to understand what it is.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Lot's of sports are violent. American football, rugby, Australian Rules Football, Wrestling, etc. MMA is to popular now and a ban will never happen.

 

[MJS]

FULL STORY

How many believe this to be true? That MMA and boxing are a "barbaric" like sport and should be banned due to brain injuries. Do you believe that more safety precautions should be in place like head gear to protect the brain?

This is another fine example of people who love to talk, yet they have no clue as to what they're talking about. I mean really, wouldn't it make sense to have a full or at least a resonable amount of knowledge before calling for a ban? There is a good portion of people who really have no idea about anything Martial Arts related. I still have people ask me if its true that you have to register your hands with the police.

Sen. McCain at one time, tried to ban MMA/UFC. I believe for a while it worked, but the events still went on. They were banned from PPV, but not from happening. There are many more rules today than when it started in 93. I havent seen anyone lately, getting carried off on a stretcher. Sure, the guys are banged up, but they still walk out of the ring. The refs that they have are IMO, on top of everything. Sure, the fighters may get upset if they feel it got stopped too soon, etc., but nonetheless, Big John and the rest of them are great and know what to look for.

If they're going to ban MMA, then they should seriously look at all of the other sports out there. Watch a football game. How many times do you see the game come to a halt, because of an injury, someone getting carted off on a stretcher, etc.? Happens much more in those sports than MMA in my opinion.

Mike

 

[grydth]

What Great Britain and its citizens do in their own country is their own business. They need lectures from outsiders about as much as I need the UN telling me to give up my guns. The country's been around a lot longer than we have, I trust they'll sort this out on their own.

 

[TheOriginalName]

Please read this carefully before you decide to attack me with arguments:

It is a fact - that is it has been medically proven, that those who participate in boxing for long periods of time or at the elite level suffer a degree of brain damage.
This damage can not be undone and those who suffer it become a burdon to the public health system.

It is also a fact that doctors take an oath to preserve life.

Therefore if boxing and other associated sports cause brain damage then it is natural for doctors to call for it to be banned. I would be worried if a doctor was encouraging it.

However, that said i do not think a blanket ban on the sports would be responsible or enforcable.

The problem is how do we have such sports and minimise the chance of serious damage occuring to the participants brains.

This is a debate the will not go away mainly because the damage that is occuring is not physical. If participants were coming out of the ring with body parts missing, then perhaps we would see the focus of the scientific and sporting communities shift to the problem in an effort to solve the problem.

For those who perhaps doubt the seriousness of the injuries incurred by boxers - have a look at Ali and just imagine where the sport of boxing would be if he had not taken as many hit to the head.

I will now state: I am neither a supporter of boxing nor am i call for it to be banned.

 

[docmartin252]

I can't believe they want to compare MMA to Roman Gladiators. Gladiators were enslaved and forced to fight each other and animals, whereas MMA fighters spend years voluntarily training for a match of skills and whits. This type of thinking will lead to a ban of any contact sport in America, and force martial arts to remain in Asia and other countries.

 

[Andrew Green]

It is also a fact that doctors take an oath to preserve life.

Therefore if boxing and other associated sports cause brain damage then it is natural for doctors to call for it to be banned. I would be worried if a doctor was encouraging it.

hmm... under this logic lots of things should be banned. Smoking, drinking, greasy food, salt... Gonna end up like Demolition Man following that pattern.

Not to mention that psychiatrists should them call for a ban on people entering law or politics, as doing so seems to damage there minds.