The director of the Dublin neurological institute at the Mater hospital has said mixed martial arts (MMA) should be banned in the Republic and expressed doubts whether increased regulation of the sport would make a substantive difference to fighter safety.
Prof Tim Lynch, who is a consultant neurologist, was speaking after the death of MMA fighter Joao Carvalho (28), who died after becoming ill following a bout at the National Stadium on Saturday.
“There has been no major discussion around what is a pretty aggressive sport where you’re trying to knock somebody out,” he said. “I suspect the events of the weekend will change all that.
“Any sport that involves deliberately hitting the head and knocking people out needs to be asked questions, and we need to ask whether this is right. So from a personal perspective, yes, I think those types of sports should not be allowed.”
“I would have similar concerns about boxing. MMA goes a step up. I find it bizarre that it’s tolerated and doesn’t have a very critical review and discussion as to whether this should be encouraged, allowed, endorsed, and is regulation enough or should it be banned.”
Permitted
Prof Ciaran Bolger, who is a neurosurgeon at Beaumont Hospital, said he would not favour a ban on the sport but questioned whether children ought to be encouraged or permitted to take part.
“I wouldn’t ban it,” he said. “I don’t think when it’s between consenting adults that you can ban what people want to do to themselves, but I do think there are issues around what we do with children and whether the sport should be introduced to children.
“We need to look the safeguards. For big bouts in boxing, there has to be a neurosurgeon at the fight. In MMA, they can have any doctor, but any doctor isn’t good enough.”
Prof Bolger said medics at Beaumont “haven’t noticed any increase in problems that have presented” from MMA.
“It’s a matter of regulating it, educating referees, and minimising the harm to people. It can be made safer. Skiing is probably just as dangerous. How many people have given themselves brain injuries skiing but you wouldn’t ban it.”
Popularity
The sport has grown substantially in popularity since the rise of UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor, but several boxing clubs yesterday dismissed the suggestion that more children are gravitating towards MMA rather than boxing.
Phillip Sutcliff, who runs Crumlin Boxing Club, where McGregor started his career, said he does not like the sport himself but that incidents such as the death of Carvalho can happen in many other sports.
“I’m very happy for Conor McGregor and all his achievements but I’ve never liked the sport,” he said.
“A lot of our kids went to the MMA. Some of them have come back and some of them have stayed. Some are probably doing both.
“The rules should have been changed a long time ago to make it safe. People have died in boxing rings, on Gaelic pitches, on rugby pitches.
“People have died riding horses. People have even died running the 100 metres after having a heart attack later.”
