Section 411.5. Contest approval; request for reconsideration

A. The department or its contractor shall obtain information on each contestant from a martial arts registry and examine that information, for records, experience, and consecutive losses. Boxers or martial artists with 10 or more consecutive losses must obtain a special exception before being placed on the fight card. The results of the prefight physical, and any other pertinent information available including the boxing or martial arts severity index, will be used to determine, to the extent possible, that both contestants are substantially equal in skills and ability and are medically fit to compete. No contest shall take place without the approval of the event inspector and the ringside physician assigned to the event by the department or its contractor.

B. No contestant shall participate in a contest who has:

1. Been knocked out in the 60 days immediately preceding the date of the contest;

2. Been technically knocked out in the 30 days preceding the date of the contest;

3. Been a contestant in a boxing, kick boxing, or martial arts event of more than six rounds during the 15 days preceding the date of the contest or six or fewer rounds during the seven days preceding the date of the contest;

4. Suffered a cerebral hemorrhage;

5. Suffered a serious head injury or other serious physical injury. The department or its contractor may require an additional, specific medical examination to determine the contestant's suitability;

6. Been found to be blind in one eye or whose vision in one eye is so poor that a physician recommends the contestant not participate in the contest. A boxer or martial artist who is totally unsighted (uncorrected vision worse that 20/400) in one or both eyes shall be prohibited from competing; or

7. Been denied a license or approval to fight by another jurisdiction for medical reasons.

C. No contestant shall participant in an event while under suspension from a commission of another jurisdiction of the United States due to:

1. A recent knockout or series of consecutive losses;

2. An injury, requirement for a medical procedure, or physician denial of eligibility to compete;

3. Failure of a test for drugs or controlled substances; or

4. The use of false aliases or falsifying, or attempting to falsify, official identification cards or documents.

D. Any promoter or contestant may request reconsideration by the director of the event inspector's decision by immediately providing in writing additional information or contradictory evidence concerning the contestant's skill, ability, or medical fitness.

E. A contestant who is suspended by a commission of another jurisdiction of the United States may be allowed to compete if:

1. The contestant was suspended for a knockout, technical knockout, series of consecutive loses, an injury, a requirement of a medical procedure, or physician denial of certification and the time interval for knockouts and technical knockouts in subsection B of this section has been met and further proof of sufficiently improved medical or physical condition has been furnished;

2. The contestant was suspended for the failure of a drug test or the use of false aliases or falsifying, or attempting to falsify, official identification cards or documents and that a suspension was not, or is no longer, merited by the facts; or

3. The contestant was suspended for any reason other than those mentioned in subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection and the department or the department's contractor notifies the suspending commission in writing and consults with the designated official of the suspending commission prior to the grant of approval for such contestant to participate in a contest.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 23, Issue 24, eff. September 5, 2007; amended, Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 25, eff. September 7, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-831 of the Code of Virginia.