It is not so long back that Police and Citizen Youth Clubs were where you went to learn the art of “sparring”.In line with the federal AMA stance against boxing, the local AMA Council has withdrawn its legislated representation on the Professional Combat Sports Commission (Combat Sports Act 1987, amended 2009). Others on the eight-member Commission are appointees of the Minister for Sport and Recreation from boxing, other combat sports, the Police and the Department of Sport and Recreation. Boxing is one of the combat sports that can cause brain damage and even death but we presume participants are aware of the risks. What does the profession do?

Should it partner up with a sport seen to cause health problems, even if attendance at fights is said to be aimed at minimising damage and ensuring compliance with ‘safety’ rules? Is it legitimising a sport that should be banned and where do you draw the line, if at all, on the types of contact or combat sports?

More in the genre for doctors, intervention in rugby has changed the way the sport is refereed and played to minimise head and spinal injuries but both can still happen. Rugby team doctors are an integral part of the sport and much admired. With boxing, it is somewhat difficult to take the high ground when the sport consists of opponents trying to punch each other unconscious! Yet it is not so long back that Police and Citizen Youth Clubs were where you went to learn the art of “sparring” or boxing, amongst other things.

The WA government said it will now legislate to recruit doctors outside the AMA. Boxing WA needs ringside doctors.The WA government said it will now legislate to recruit doctors outside the AMA. Boxing WA needs ringside doctors. In our October edition e-Poll of 81 GPs, 37% said ‘no’ to the medical profession playing any part in overseeing boxing or extreme combat sports (while 28% said ‘yes’ and a further 26% said ‘perhaps with limitations’). So general practitioners, at least, may be fairly evenly divided on this issue if not slightly in favour of some involvement. The question remains, what level of involvement?

Queensland is not going to introduce combat sports legislation, despite the recent death of an amateur boxer. All other states except Tasmania have controls in what is a fast-growing industry, fuelled by on-line testosterone-fuelled bouts and increasingly graphic depiction of violence generally.

Legislation can assist with the health and safety of combatants, protect against blood-borne infections, ensure there is accreditation of coaches and officials and minimise exploitative event management. And none of that requires a doctor. The closer you get to the ringside, the more difficult decisions become.