Edmonton boxing industry sucker-punched by ban on combative sports

The City of Edmonton's temporary ban on combative sports may ruin careers and businesses for good, promoters and trainers say.

The temporary moratorium, approved unanimously by city council Friday, preventsnew licences or event permits from being issued for any combative sports competition until at least Dec. 31, 2018. The temporary ban wentinto effect Saturday.

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"It's ridiculous,"KO Boxing president MelanieLubovacsaid Friday. "I don't even have the words to say what I feel."

The moratorium is a response to the investigation launched by an independent third party after the death of professional boxer Tim Hague in June.

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The banincludes boxing, wrestling, full-contact karate, kickboxing and any other sport where opponents can strike parts of the body.

Lubovacheard the news over the phone from the city's combative sports commission hours before KO Boxing'sFriday event at the city's Shaw Conference Centre. The event went on as planned Friday night.

Ban threatens future of boxing in Edmonton

Unlike Lubovac, SunnySareen'sDec. 15 event wasn't permitted to go ahead. The president and matchmaker of Unified Mixed Martial Arts said he found out about the moratorium Friday at noon.

Sareen had been incontact with the city, working on getting properlicences ahead of the event, he said. Hethought he had Friday to put the rest of the paperwork through. He said the city wouldn't acceptthe last-minute paperwork, so he had to cancel his event with a week's notice.

"I'mextremely frustrated with everything,"Sareensaid Friday."No remorse, no nothing."

He said he lost $32,000 worth of fees and ticket sales for the sold-out event. But Sareen's not throwing in the towel he'll be filing an injunction against the city's decision as early as this weekend, he said.

Even if the ban is lifted sooner than next year,Sareensaid he might consider moving his business elsewhere.

"The city's made money off of us for the last eight years," he said, questioning how the city could call a week in advance and say the event is cancelled.

Lubovacsaid she believes the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission, which currently sanctions the city's combative sports, is one of the safest in the country.

"We're not doing it in some basement with people fighting and doing unsanctioned events," she said. "Would they cancel hockey, football, soccer, baseball, any other professional sport?"

The future of boxing in Edmonton is unclear, but Lubovacsaid the bell may haverung for the last time at Friday's fight.

'It's about the athletes'

Although the ban affects their businesses,SareenandLubovacagree city council's new legislation hurts the fighters the most.

"It's not about the money at this point. It's about the athletes,"Sareensaid. "I have 18 guys that have been training for three months that were competing next week."

If fighters wants to continue training,they'llhave to relocate to a city that offers proper instruction and facilities, Sareensaid.

Another option is to create a commission to regulate combative sports in one of Edmonton's suburbs,Lubovacsaid. However, there are no venues big enough outside the downtown core to hold bleachers, a boxing ring and thousands of fans for a fight.

Ban on until further notice

When former Canadian heavyweight champion Ken Lakusta heard the news, he said it was an outright attack on the men and women earning their living in the ring.

"These are guys that box, they didn't make amistake except going to get their licences," Lakusta said. "They're trying to take their livelihood away."

They're trying to take their livelihood away.- Ken Lakusta, former Canadian heavyweight champion

Mayor Don Iveson said Friday the ban will remainuntil council provides further direction.

The cityhadbeen working with other municipalitieslong beforeHague's death to establish a formal provincial commission. Municipal leaders in Alberta passed a resolution in November to ask the province to regulate combative sports.

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Several municipalities tried to advocate for the commission in 2013, including Edmonton and Red Deer, but the provincial government did not respond.

Alberta and New Brunswick arethe only provinces in Canada without a provincial body to oversee combative sports.

anna.desmarais@cbc.ca

@anna_desmarais