Governor, Economic Development, Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission

Section R359-1-901

"White-Collar Contests"

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 34179
Filed: 10/31/2010 06:29:54 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The change will modify the requirements for "White-Collar Contests" to protect the health and safety of the contestants and help ensure the legislative intent for these contests is maintained.

Summary of the rule or change:

The change will prohibit unarmed combat techniques, strikes and submissions that are prohibited under Amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) rules adopted by the Commission in "White-Collar Contests". To ensure White-Collar Contests are not inappropriately being held at training facilities primarily as a means to circumvent commission regulations and not be considered unarmed combat events; admission fees, ticket, concession sales, and donations would be prohibited. As a means to facilitate contestant safety, a ringside physician would be required to attend all "While-Collar Contests".

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Title 63C, Chapter 11

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

This proposed rule changes will not result in any significant savings or cost impact to the state budget since the tasks will be accomplished within the existing commission budget since the commission does not expend significant state resources overseeing "White-Collar Contests".

local governments:

This proposed rule changes will not result in any significant savings or cost impact to local governments since local governments do not regulate "White-Collar Contests".

small businesses:

This proposed rule changes would have cost impacts to those few small businesses that are holding "White-Collar Contests" in lieu of meeting Commission requirements by hosting "White Collar Contests" in lieu of unarmed combat events that should be regulated by the Commission. The additional cost of holding a Commission sanctioned event, including medical insurance, ringside physician, ambulance, emergency medical technicians and officials may cost about $2,000 per event. However, these costs would be offset by potential ticket, admission, concession, and sponsorship revenue.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

The proposed rule would provide additional safety to "White-Collar" Contestants by eliminating unarmed combat techniques, strikes and submissions that have a greater likelihood in resulting in injury to the participants, consistent with amateur MMA rules and by ensuring a ringside physician is present during the contests.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

The additional cost to hold a "White-Collar" event if the rule is adopted for medical insurance is estimated to be about $100 for each contest between two opponents, with an estimated cost of up to $300 for a ringside physician.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

While there will be a fiscal impact to businesses that hold "White-Collar Contests" in lieu of commission sanctioned events, the proposed rule will protect the health and safety of those participating in the events and ensure the legislative intent for "White-Collar Contests" is maintained and these contests are not used as a means to circumvent commission regulation and to conduct unarmed combat public events.

Richard Montanez, Commission Chair

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Governor
Economic Development, Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission
324 S STATE ST
STE 500
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84111

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Bill Colbert at the above address, by phone at 801-538-8876, by FAX at 801-538-8888, or by Internet E-mail at bcolbert@utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

12/15/2010

This rule may become effective on:

12/22/2010

Authorized by:

Bill Colbert, Secretary, PSUAC

R359. Governor, Economic Development, Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission.

R359-1. Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission Act Rule.

R359-1-901. "White-Collar Contests".

Pursuant to Section 63C-11-302 (26), the Commission adopts the following rules for "White-Collar Contests":

(1) Contestants shall be at least 21 years old on the day of the contest.

(2) Competing contestants shall be of the same gender.

(3) The heaviest contestant's weight shall be no greater than 15 percent more than their opponent.

(4) A ringside physician (M.D. or D.O) must be present at the ringside or cageside during each bout and emergency medical response must be within 5 minutes to the training center venue.

(5) Ticket sales, admission fees and/or donations are prohibited.

(6) Concession sales are prohibited.

(7) No more than 4 bouts at an event on a single day are permitted.

(8) Knee strikes to the head to a standing or grounded opponent are prohibited.

(9) Elbow, forearm and triceps strikes to a standing or grounded opponent are prohibited.

(10) Strikes to the head of a grounded opponent are prohibited.

(11) All twisting leg submissions are prohibited.

(12) All spine attacks, including spine strikes and locks are prohibited.

(13) All neck attacks, including strikes, chokes and cranks are prohibited.

(14) Linear kicks to and around the knee joint are prohibited.

(15) Dropping your opponent on his or her head or neck at any time is prohibited.

(16) Medical insurance coverage for each contest participant that meets the requirements of R359-1-501(10) shall be provided at no expense to the contest participant.

(17) Full legal names, birthdates and addresses of all contestants shall be provided to the commission no later than 72 hours before the scheduled event.

 

KEY: licensing, boxing, unarmed combat, white-collar contests

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [October 1], 2010

Notice of Continuation: May 10, 2007

Authorizing, Implemented, or Interpreted Law: 63C-11-101 et seq.