Provincial Athletic Commissioner Consultation

Engagement Summary

The Athletic Commissioner Act (Bill 50) was passed by the B.C. Legislature on May 30, 2012.  The Act provides for a Provincial Athletic Commissioner whose key duties are to:

• Establish a consistent standard of qualifications and safety protocols for all participants and officials through a uniform licensing and permitting framework
• Ensure compliance with the Act and its regulations.

 
In order to regulate and supervise professional and amateur contests that feature:

• Boxing
• Mixed martial arts
• Kickboxing
• Muay Thai
• Pankration

 
Regulations that set out the policies and procedures had to first be approved by the provincial government in order to implement the Act and establish the Commissioner’s Office. Citizens were encouraged to provide input through an online survey and consultation paper on topics such as:

• The structure and operations of the Commissioner’s Office;
• The types of rules that will be followed for contests;
• The licensing framework, including the fees to obtain licenses and permits; and
• The medical requirementsfor the contestants.

 
The purpose of this initiative was to ensure the safety of participants in combat sports such as mixed martial arts, and to implement consistent rules, policies and procedures across the province.

Timeframe:  

September 25 to October 20, 2012

Input Received:  

22 people participated in the online survey.

Input leads to action:

This consultation was conducted in order to seek input from athletes, promoters, officials and the public into the creation of the regulatory framework for the Athletic Commissioner, and to ensure that policies and procedures were consistent with other jurisdictions. Since 2013, the BC Athletic Commissioner has been the regulatory body for professional boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) and amateur kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA and pankration in British Columbia.
 
The Office of the BC Athletic Commissioner is responsible for licensing promoters, contestants, matchmakers, seconds, and officials to participate in or plan professional and/or amateur events in the afore mentioned disciplines; issuing event permits; upholding rules; protecting athlete safety and maintaining the integrity of the sport. For more information on rules, news or forms please visit the Office of the BC Athletic Commissioner site.