More Pressure On Hayashi and Ontario Commission
June 22, 2008
MMAPayout’s Kelsey Philpott recently did an excellent piece on the regulation issues that MMA is having in Canada with the Ontario Athletic Commission. Today comes news that more pressure may be coming to bear on the commission via a $100 million dollar lawsuit being filed by kickboxing and amateur MMA promoters Michael and Martin McNamara. Much of the specifics of the lawsuit relate to the McNamara’s kickboxing businesses but any settlement may also affect their MMA business, which they look to promote on the professional level.
McNamara said yesterday he is not able to discus the suit at length, but insisted that all he and his brother are trying to do is be able to organize and hold proper professional kick boxing shows, and in the future, professional MMA events. Professional MMA contests are banned in Ontario. Hayashi will not allow pro MMA events in Ontario based on his interpretation of Section 83 of the federal criminal code which deems “prize fighting,” with the exception of boxing and some kick boxing, to be illegal.
Also of note in the article is McNamara’s mentioning of a possible meeting with the UFC’s Marc Ratner to discuss MMA regulation for Ontario.
McNamara said he plans to meet with Marc Ratner, the UFC’s vice-president of government and regulatory affairs, in the next few weeks to discuss ways to have section 83 amended to allow pro MMA shows in Ontario.
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