• NEW MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AMATEURS • UPSCALED ONSITE MEDICAL PROVISION UNDER SAFE MMA-IRELAND • 3 ARENA, DUBLIN – 27th FEBRUARY 2016 (Safe MMA Press Release – London.27th February.2016) British mixed martial arts promotion, BAMMA, introduces new standards for athlete safety on its show tonight in Dublin, Ireland, “BAMMA 24: Kone Vs. Phillips”. As one of the founding members of UK and Irish medical organisation, Safe MMA, BAMMA has since January 2013 required its professional athletes to be medically cleared to compete by the organisation, as an independent third party. It has also committed to meet onsite medical requirements, including the presence of doctors for pre and post-match physical examinations. In the United Kingdom there are no regulatory requirements for promoters or participants in MMA meaning that compliance to the Safe MMA code is voluntary. Compulsory physical examinations and blood tests were introduced by the founding promoters solely for paid professional competitors at launch, with respect to the newly incurred cost to fighters. For BAMMA 24, under the auspices of Safe MMA -Ireland and in a first for the region, the promotion has demanded that Amateur athletes undergo the same medical clearance process as professionals. See below for the list of medically cleared professional and Amateur competitors for BAMMA 24. Further to this BAMMA has also up-scaled its at-event safety protocol, increasing its onsite doctors to 4, providing 3 onsite ambulances and an extra medical room. A private arrangement has been made with a local clinic for the provision of immediate CT scans, MRIs and X-rays, on referral of a post-fight doctor. These arrangements bring the level of event medical care much closer to that required in professional boxing. BAMMA matchmaker, Jude Samuel commented: “It’s just as important for Amateur MMA athletes to undergo the same medical examinations and care as professional athletes. We expect the Amateurs on BAMMA shows to be at a level where they are on the pathway to becoming professional, and meeting professional medical criteria is part of this. It is helpful to us also as a promoter as it gives us more flexibility in matchmaking as athletes approach pro level and opens up more opportunities to them too. “I would like to thank Advanced Paramedic Glenn Ellis and the Code Blue team who have enabled an elite level of medical care both in the run up to and at BAMMA 24. I would also like to thank Professor Dan Healy of Safe MMA- Ireland and Yoni from SafeMMA for their consultancy and support.” Safe MMA – Ireland was launched by UFC athlete Aisling Daly and Professor Dan Healy in 2013. While Safe MMA now provides athlete medical clearance services to the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF), Professor Healy was recently appointed to establish IMMAF’s Medical Committee which holds its first conference in London (UK) this weekend. SAFE MMA COMPETITORS FOR BAMMA 24 • Alan Philpott • Alex Masuku • Andy De-Vent • Brian Moore • Cheick Kone • Chris Fields • Cian Cowley *amateur • Conor Cooke • Damien Rooney • Daniel Konecke • Declan Dalton • Dylan Tuke • Gary Morris • Gerard Gilmore • James Gallagher • Jay Moogan *amateur • John Phillips • Lloyd Manning • Mario Saeed • Mark Andrew • Matt Hallam • Michael Cutting • Mick Brennan • Myles Price • Nathan Jones • Nathaniel Wood • Nicolas Ott • Paul Byrne • Peter Queally • Rhys McKee • Sean Tobin • Sinead Kavanagh • Tom Duquesnoy • Zarah Fairn Dos Santos]]>
BAMMA 24 INTRODUCES NEW MEDICAL SAFETY STANDARDS
