via Safe MMA Press Release: BAMMA 26 INTRODUCES BRAIN SCANS AS PART OF ENHANCED ATHLETE MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS SAFEMMA- IRELAND PROVIDES INDEPENDENT MEDICAL CLEARANCE TO IMMAA STANDARDS 3 ARENA, DUBLIN 10th SEPTEMBER 2016 (Dublin.10th September.2016) British mixed martial arts promotion, BAMMA, sets a new benchmark for medical safety in MMA as athlete clearance for tonight’s event in Dublin, Ireland, has seen competitors required to meet enhanced medical standards. It has been confirmed at time of writing that, pending the receipt of one final test result, the fight card for BAMMA 26 will meet SafeMMA-Ireland requirements. BAMMA has voluntarily worked to adhere to the guidelines of the Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association and its medical arm, Safe MMA -Ireland in requiring all its professional competitors to undergo MRI/ MRAs of the brain and neck as well as specialist eye-tests. As one of the founding members of medical body Safe MMA, BAMMA has since January 2013 required its athletes to be independently, medically cleared to compete by the UK and Irish organisation. Medical clearance requirements have previously included annual medical examinations, tests for blood borne viruses as well as pre and post-match examinations, to which BAMMA has now added brain scans and eye-tests. Further to this BAMMA provides a high level of onsite medical staffing and facilities with immediate CT scans, MRIs and X-rays provided for competitors on referral by a post-fight doctor. Safe MMA- Ireland founder, International Mixed Martial Arts Federation medical committee chairman and consultant neurologist, Professor Dan Healy, said: “I would like to thank BAMMA for listening to the Irish MMA community and investing in the highest possible veritable safety measures”. International Mixed Martial Arts President, Kerrith Brown, commented: “The MMA community in Ireland has raised the benchmark for competitor safety in the region, advising MRI and MRA brain scans and specialist eye tests as requirements for professional MMA fighters. To enable this great step forwards, the support and cooperation of promoters and gyms are imperative. “British promoter BAMMA is the first to hold professional MMA matches on Irish soil since the community consensus on enhanced fighter safety requirements. As a founding party of voluntary medical organisation Safe MMA, BAMMA has been a long-time flag-bearer for athlete safety. “Setting up new processes is never easy and there will have been many challenging moments along the way. Hours of pro bono support and expertise from the likes of neurologist Professor Dan Healy and excessive hours from Jude Samuel at BAMMA, event medical provider Glen Ellis at Code Blue, the Safe MMA team and various other medical providers in the UK and Ireland have contributed to making this landmark event a success. None of this would have been possible too, without the unerring commitment of the fighters on the card, their coaches and managers. When a promoter sets a new, costlier requirement, they are taking a commercial risk and so the commitment of BAMMA management to athlete safety is also to be commended. “I would like to wish everyone involved the best of luck for BAMMA Dublin, which marks a pivotal moment for the sport in the region.” BAMMA CEO, David Green, said: “There is nothing more important in the sport of MMA than fighter safety. That is why BAMMA as a promotion has made it an absolute priority to introduce these new procedures for our events. They undoubtedly make MMA a far safer place in which to compete, and we hope by taking the lead that other UK and European promotions will follow.” The full list of competitors medically cleared to compete for BAMMA 26 will be available via the Safe MMA website at safemma.org /ENDS For all Safe MMA media enquiries contact [email protected] ABOUT SAFE MMA & SAFE MMA-IRELAND SAFE MMA is a not for profit organisation established to improve the safety of MMA fighters in the UK and Ireland. Under the Safe MMA banner, the medical centre provides a secure, centralised and confidential database for fighter medical records; and coordinates affordable, standardised blood and medical tests for all registered fighters. Additionally, SAFE MMA members have access to advice from leading world experts in sports medicine. UK promotions united to help found the project which was launched in January 2013 and agree only to use fighters that are deemed medically safe to fight under the SAFE MMA (green light) system and not to use fighters that are suspended due to injuries, such as concussion, or who are overdue for blood tests, for example. Medical data is never transmitted to anyone but SAFE MMA pledges a rapid and all-hours service to inform authorised promotions of who is medically safe to fight and who needs to be re-checked, at the time of enquiry. Safe MMA – Ireland was launched by UFC athlete Aisling Daly and Professor Dan Healy later in 2013. Safe MMA is now the independent medical advisory for the United Kingdom Mixed Martial Arts Federation, Irish Amateur Pankration Association, Ulster Amateur MMA Association and medical services provider to the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF). For more about Safe MMA, go to safemma.org ]]>
BAMMA 26 Sets New Benchmark for Medical Safety under SafeMMA-Ireland
