Edmonton bans combat sports for year in response to Hague death
“Today, City Council passed a bylaw that will temporarily halt issuing new licences or event permits for combative sports in the City of Edmonton.”
Former King of the Cage Canada heavyweight champion Tim Hague earned a 21-13 record in MMA, and also dabbled in professional boxing. During the past two years he went 1-4 in MMA, with all four losses via KO or TKO. Then he returned to boxing, losing the first bout by decision, and the second by KO. He also competed in “Super Boxing” or boxing not with the 10 oz or 12 oz gloves that are typical for heavyweights, but with 4 oz MMA gloves, in a cage. He got knocked out in Super Boxing, too on April 7, 2017.
On June 16, 2017, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Hague boxed Adam Braidwood in an 8-Round contest for the WBU heavyweight championship. He was knocked out in Round 2, and died two days later of injuries suffered in the ring.
The City of Edmonton hired an independent group to report on what happened. The City Council heard a report from the group, and has stopped combat sports in the city for a year, as announced in an official release.
Council enacts temporary moratorium on combative sports in Edmonton
December 8, 2017
Today, City Council passed a bylaw that will temporarily halt issuing new licences or event permits for combative sports in the City of Edmonton.
The bylaw comes into effect Dec. 9, 2017, and remains in effect until December 31, 2018, or until Council provides further direction.
This bylaw was added to Council’s agenda following a verbal, in camera update to City Council on the status of an independent, third-party review into the death of professional boxer Tim Hague, who died after a sanctioned boxing match in Edmonton on June 16, 2017.
The moratorium bylaw was given three readings after Council passed the following motion:
That Administration and the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission ensure the final independent report into the events surrounding the June 16, 2017 boxing match be provided to the Hague Family and City Council and released to the public no later than December 14, 2017, and that prior to release that the City review in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Rob Smyth, Deputy City Manager of Citizen Services at the City of Edmonton, said: We anticipate the release of the report into the tragic death of Mr. Hague and a continued conversation about the proper role of the municipality in the field of combative sports.
The Edmonton Combative Sports Commission issued the following statement: We respect the prerogative of Edmonton City Council. We will continue our work as a commission, using this time to move forward with the comprehensive policy review that had already been underway. We will work with City Administration to advise Council on a future path at the end of the moratorium.
No further comment will be available until the scheduled release of the report on December 14, 2017.
With the full report in a week, a fuller understanding of what transpired should become clearer.