Boxing hits new standard of safety in Tasmania

The changes came into effect on August 1 and include medical suspensions imposed for athletes suffering a knockout or technical knockout as well as clearer processes for medical clearances and insurance requirements.

Sarah Courtney, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, said the standards would apply to all boxing and combat sport contests held in state.

“Communities, Sport and Recreation has worked with promoters, venue owners and sporting organisations to ensure compliance with the updated standards,” Ms Courtney said.

“The standards have been updated following community consultation, to ensure that they continue to protect the interests and safety of people involved in professional and amateur boxing and combat sport contests.”

Launceston Boxing & MMA Club owner and head coach Nick Millwood said organisations within the combat industry had pushed for the changes.

“We want to be confident in our processes to maintain Tasmanian boxing league as the premier combat sports organisation in the state,” Mr Millwood said.

“For us as an organization these legislations coming into practice is a mere formality as we have been operating to this formula for over 12 months now.

“This just brings the coaching and promotional side of the sport into alignment with the mainland governments and provides a clearer process of what are acceptable practices, and outlines the safest and most professional way to run a combat sports promotion.”

Working in the industry as a coach and competitor for the past seven years, Mr Millwood said the sport was at a turning point.

“There’s no doubt it has grown and I believe that is due to our tireless work to breakdown the negative opinions about our sport being ‘barbaric’ and for ‘bogans’,” he said.

He said support from the government was important in maintaining the industry in Tasmania.

“We need these policies and procedures in place and the fact that the government have gone to such effort to implement these laws just shows that they take us and our sport just as seriously as we do, which is fantastic,” Mr Millwood said.