ABC News
[ Source: ABC ]
Western Australia’s Combat Sports Commission has declined an application for an Australian-first bare-knuckle boxing event in Perth.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the commission said the board was not satisfied the event met the required criteria.
The WA government has faced intense scrutiny over the proposed event by medical experts and the opposition in recent weeks, while the commission was making its decision.
Dr Page disputed the comparisons made to mixed martial arts (MMA) and boxing and again expressed concern about the long-term effects of repeated head knocks and repeated concussion.
“We need to be looking at all combat sports and really wondering whether people punching each other in the head and causing short and long-term brain damage is something that as a society we should be condoning,” he said.
“I don’t accept that there’s any hypocrisy in the Combat Sports Commission declining this permit because it might have previously permitted boxing, UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championship], Muay Thai or anything like that.”
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