Century ago, men began combating in what is now called Mixed Martial Arts. A wide variety of combat styles is allowed in a match. Thus, martial artists skilled in unlike arts are able to get into the ring. MMA is a full-contact sport and can be traced all the way back to ancient Rome.

Now, doctors met in Niagara Falls to express their opinions on MMA on the Canadian Medical Association’s annual meeting. Most of the professionals voiced their belief that the sport should not be legal. They argue that there is too large a probability of injuries – much larger than it is in boxing for example.

As explained by Dr. Ian Gillespie MMA, like box, is different from from many other sports in that the basic aim of the fighter is to cause injury in order to knock out his or her enemy. Then he adds that the various techniques […] aren’t just about blows, and there may be the presence of less safety [regulations~rules}.Another parallel institution which lately presented their worries regarding MMA was the British Medical Association . Since early 2009, they are campaigning to ban the sport in Britain (see BMA’s statement. They, too, argue that the sport can get excessively violent and brutal.

A website of MMA fans, WatchKalibRun.com, brings their opinions on the British Medical Association’s arguments. They mention that there is limited or no data available from the British and link to a US study finding that numbers of injuries and knock-out rates in Mixed Martial Arts are similar to other combative sports.

The Hamilton Spectator talked to two to find out what they think about the matter. They say that there is less protection in MMA than in box, the referees are more benevolent plus there are looser regulations overall. Unlike in box, the strikes aren’t aimed solely at the head and body in MMA, which brings about more types of injuries, although it most probably decreases the prominence of head injuries specifically. In general, both experts are calling for a unification of procedures across Canada instead of keeping regulations granular across provinces.

Why haven’t the doctors come out with this earlier? It’s because only now (in August), Ontario province government decided to make the sport legal in the province joining the list of several other Canadian provinces and some 46 US states. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Warrior One (W1) already prepared business plans to develop activities in some of the largest cities in the province and even some small-but-frequented ones. Ontario Premier Mr. Dalton McGuinty took a leap of faith to sign the law after prolonged negotiations and much thought, but stresses the importance of continuous supervision of all matches and adherence to strict rules. Reported by Toronto Sun.

Nonetheless, doctors argue that there is a lack of trained professionals at the matches. They say that even if they were required to attend, it would be unbearable for them to powerlessly watch the ongoing injuries with a clear conscience. Traditional martial artists argue that MMA denies the original principles of martial arts which lie in most importantly respect, self-control, courtesy and discipline.

As reported by CTV, Dr. Shelby Karpman points out that due to the sport’s popularity, outlawing it would likely result in the matches taking place illegally. In addition, medical supervision would not be enforceable and for those reasons the artists would receive less care. This in turn equals even greater danger.

All that said, it seems reasonable to conclude that if MMA itself cannot be banned, it should definitely be very well regulated and adherence to rules should be controlled. This also means that there should be reasonable medical supervision with appropriate competencies; licensing, insurance and preventative measures should be in place.

From the insurance point of view, extreme sports are a separate chapter of life insurance; not every company will sell you coverage. Those who will are absolutely going to charge you a much higher premium. The total fee is going to be calculated considering the nature of the sport you do. A combat fighter must thoroughly understand any exclusions in the policy agreement and should be sure that the combat is part of a licensed event. Illegal fights may destroy your chances of ever claiming on your policy.
Nevertheless, any experienced Ontario life insurance professional will reveal to his client that life insurance alone isn’t sufficient for an extreme fighter. This is because a fighter will most probably severely harm her or his counterpart and that will make him or her

responsible for the associated recompenses. It is a good idea that each fighter has a liability insurance coverage of her or his own. As with life insurance, with liability insurance it holds true that the combat must be part of a licensed and supervised venue and is subject to any exclusions in the plan.

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