Met with the BCMA Today

This afternoon I met with some folks at the British Columbia Medical Association (BCMA) to discuss their motion going to the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) to ban MMA in Canada.

This was my first face-to-face with BCMA President Dr. Ian Gillespe who brought into the meeting Jonathan D. Agnew, Assistant Director of Policy and Geraldine Vance, Director of Communications & Public Affairs.

I expressed the concerns on their motion. Namely no consultation with the MMA community and their call for an all out ban vs better regulation. I reiterated that having medical associations working with the MMA community is very much welcome.

They took the time to explain that the motion was brought to their caucus as a delegate motion by a Vancouver area Neurologist. Caucus then agreed and passed to the CMA. I asked if they could remove or modify the motion and they said no as the motion was already filed with the CMA.

You will recall the BCMA cited two documents for their decision. Today they provided an additional piece to me – a 2006 report from the British Journal of Sports Medicine entitled “No hold barred sport fighting: a 10 year review of mixed martial arts competition”. In short the reviewer watched 642 MMA recorded fights from Japan and the US during the time period of 1993 to 2003. The problem with this of course is the rules from that era do not reflect the rules now used. So yes, head butts, kicks when the opponent is down and strikes to the spine will be in those 642 fights – but not now.

I pointed this out and brought them up to speed on the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts where many of the debilitating blows in the study are now outlawed. Of course after the late 1990′s (and in the Unified Rules) there are gloves, weight classes, matching of fight / skill records and more protections are in place for the participants. In short, this 2006 study is as out dated as using bloodletting or leaches in surgery. I wish I had said that leaches line in the meeting…but sadly only thought of it now.  But I did say the sport has evolved considerably from the time frame in the study.

Dr. Gillespie asked if regulation increased safety. That is a good question. I believe it has since regulation in part supports the Unified Rules of MMA which provided medical exams, weight classes, rounds, etc. He asked how the rules in Vancouver differ from those in South Carolina where a fighter died recently. That State does not use the Unified Rules and thus a pre fight MRI for the fighter was not required – a procedure which may have detected an existing medical issue in the fallen fighter. In Vancouver the Unified Rules are observed.

We both agreed that head injury prevention are paramount concerns and that having Provincial regulation would be good – especially since none exists now. [Note BCMA contacted me that the crossed out statement was not correct in light of the resolution forwarded to the CMA. My notes differ slightly but I believe this is semantics in that which the resolution is in place the BCMA cannot support regulation but should the motion fail - in my estimation - they will support a Provincial Commission.]

The BCMA will forward the exact wording of their motion to me when is it prepared by the CMA. The way motions are prepared for the CMA conference is quite a bit different from similar meetings I have attended. The wording will be available by early next week before the vote takes place on Wednesday, August 25th.

All-in-all, anytime folks can get together to learn about the other side’s view, that is a good thing. I do believe once the motion at the CMA is handled the BCMA will work with the MMA community in BC to advance the goal of Provincial regulation and assist in directing how amateur MMA associations can develop.

Will I and others still speak out on the BCMA proclamation to ban MMA in Canada? Absolutely. Will I be looking forward to seeing the BCMA working with MMA groups? Yes – and that will happen. Soon. Especially since I left with Dr. Gillespe’s receptionist an awesome Dave.ca T-shirt. How can he say no to me now?