- CHANGES TO LATE REPLACEMENT PROCESS

- REVISED PAYMENT OPTIONS FOR FIGHTERS

- FULL BREAKDOWN OF FIGHTER REGISTRATION FEE

Following last month’s launch, Safe MMA has responded to UK MMA industry feedback and questions, and is making the following amends and additions to the Safe MMA Agreement. These include revised pricing and registration options for fighters, and scaled down requirements for late replacements on a case by case basis.

Safe MMA goes live on Cage Warriors, UCMMA and BAMMA from 1^st January 2013, after which time all athletes competing on the promotions’ fight cards will need to be registered. Further UK promotions have pledged to join the medical initiative in 2013:

1.   Late Replacements

2.   Fighters Fighting on Unregistered Shows in the UK & Abroad

3.   British Fighters that Fight in the US and in the UK

4.   Process for Amateurs & Professionals Fighting on One Card

5.    Registered Doctors

6.   Why is it Important for Gyms to Join? (& Benefits to Gyms)

7.    Hepatitis B and Tetanus Vaccinations

8.    Medical Suspensions

9.    PEDs Testing

10.  Age Limit for Competitors

11.  New Registration and Payment Options for Fighters

12.  Full Breakdown of Membership Fees for Fighters

13.  Safe MMA Seminars

1.  Late Replacements

All endeavours must be made to register fighter replacements to Safe MMA. If the replacement comes too late in the day for Safe MMA registration to be possible, then Safe MMA will need to clear the fighter on a case by case basis.

At the bare minimum a late replacement MUST be blood tested to protect the other fighters on the show. If a replacement steps in too close to the fight for the GP medical & GP blood tests to be completed, then Harley Street can provide a short notice blood testing service in which blood tests can be turned around in 1 day; or within 1 hour via a more expensive service (on week days). Safe MMA will also be looking for partner doctors around the UK who can do this.

In absolute worst case scenario on-the-day blood tests can be carried out at walk-in clinics and larger Superdrug and pharmacy stores but only in agreed, extreme cases.  Typically private blood tests will not be accepted

All blood test results must be provided to Safe MMA.

The late replacements will receive pre fight medicals on Safe MMA shows and this can be extended medical to include elements of the annual medicals.

2. Fighters Fighting on Unregistered Shows in the UK & Abroad

Any such fight should be cleared in advance with Safe MMA, and the fighter will be provided with a simple form to be filled in by the supervising doctor (result of bout; any injuries; doctor’s recommendations). The fighter will be responsible for returning this form directly to Safe MMA within 14 days.

A Fighter must follow Safe MMA suspensions across all shows.

If fighter fights on show abroad where he has medical tests, then results need to be submitted to Safe MMA with a full medical and fighting history.

3.  British Fighters that Fight in the US and in the UK

Where a fighter generally fights in the U.S., his/her medicals will cover a one-off fight with a Safe MMA promotion in the UK.

If the fighter fights more than once in a row on a Safe MMA show, then the fighter must be Safe MMA registered.

4.  Process for Amateurs & Professionals fighting on the same card

Where Amateur and Pro bouts take place on the same fight card, the cage needs to be cleaned/sterilised in between the Amateur and Professional bouts to make sure there is no transfer of bloods between Safe MMA fights and other fights.

5. MMA Doctors Register

Doctors do not need to be registered to Safe MMA as the whole system has been designed so that any doctor can carry out the medicals (annual, pre- and post-fight.)

However, Safe MMA will be calling a meeting for interested doctors with a view to sharing knowledge and expertise, since Safe MMA has been approached by a number of doctors from around the country who have long experience of working with MMA fighters.

Safe MMA is keen to foster medical partnerships around the UK with doctors who can conduct the any of the following:

·         Short notice GP medicals & taking of bloods for late replacements

·         Fighter GP medicals at £50

·         On site blood tests and medicals at weekends, or prior to events if needed, including block bookings.

6.  Why is it Importamt for Gyms to Join?

The main reason that gyms need to register to Safe MMA is that gyms need to support Safe MMA medical suspensions.

For example, Safe MMA gyms agree to discourage fighters from full contact sparring after a concussion occurs regardless of the situation it occurred in, to avoid ‘second impact syndrome’. They need to support fighters to follow return-to-play guidelines as supplied by Safe MMA.

Looking after the fighters’ training and fighting environments to make them as safe as possible is a responsibility shared by the promotions and gyms.

Membership will give gyms limited access to information regarding their fighters’ health so that they can better support the fighters’ upholding of medical instructions. It will also keep gyms up to date with the latest medical information regarding fighters, give gyms direct access to the best medical advice and a hotline to appropriate medical referrals.

The partnership between gyms and promotions will additionally help cut down on the use of independent fighters.

Benefits to gyms

·      Unlimited email support service (not consultation) on key next steps to take with infections or injuries after event or report for a gym’s fighter

·      Priority referral and booking of their fighters to Sports Injury / Neurology / Plastics / Orthopaedics / Rheumatology / Physiology / Endocrinology / Ophthalmology experts and imaging centres within NHS or privately for gym’s fighters

·      Limited access to fighters’ medical status (as per promotions)

·      Exclusive news and seminars regarding fighter safety and performance advances.

·      Medical advice

·      FREE pre and post-fight medical provided for their fighters by the promotions

·      Guarantee of clean bloods between their professional fighters

·      Access for a gym’s fighters to fight on Safe MMA shows against other fighters who have been blood tested

·      Liability protection. Harley Street doctors will be able to speak out in defence of Safe MMA gyms should there be a serious accident or tragedy of some kind

·      Use of Safe MMA logo  in promotional material and advertising

·      Credibility that could encourage increased membership as Safe MMA will not accept independent fighter and therefore fighters will need to be associated to a Safe MMA registered gym

7. Hepatitis B & Tetanus

Hepatitis B & Tetanus vaccinations are recommended to all fighters but are not mandatory at this time

8. Suspensions

76 Harley Street will advise medical suspensions based on the post-fight doctors’ recommendations.

The only set suspension is for Knock Outs: If a fighter is knocked out then there will be an automatic suspension of 28 days

If a fighter is concussed twice in a season, there will be a 3 months suspension

If concussed 3 times, the fighter will need to be cleared by a doctor

The above suspensions are mandatory unless a fighter can provide valid scan results that demonstrate that they are safe to fight, in which case Safe MMA will review the suspension on a case by case basis.

9. PEDs Testing

Performance Enhancing Drugs testing is an issue that is to be tackled by the UK MMA Federation.

In the UK, MMA does not have outside funding to cover the costs of PEDs testing, which is very costly; and Safe MMA considers it too great a financial burden for fighters and promotions to bear at this time.

10. Age Limit for Competitors

Safe MMA is only for competitors above the age of 18.

11. New Registration and Payment Options for Fighters

Annual Fighter Passport registration (including blood test packs)  = £235

Annual Fighter Passport registration (not including blood test packs) = £135, VALID BLOOD TEST RESULTS & MEDICAL MUST BE PROVIDED*

6 months Safe MMA registration only (not including blood test pack) = £75 VALID BLOOD TEST RESULTS & MEDICAL MUST BE PROVIDED*

1 Safe MMA blood test pack (VALID FOR 6 MONTHS)= £50

* VALID BLOOD TEST RESULTS

Getting Bloods Tests Elsewhere

·         Fighters will need to provide 2x blood tests which match the specification HIV (Dual Antigens), Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B.

·         Bloods will only quality if the competitor’s name, date of birth and NHS number are printed on the results.

·         Unfortunately testing from Sexual Health clinics cannot be accepted.

Additionally, fighters can book in for GP medicals at 76 Harley Street for £50

12.  Full Breakdown of Membership Fees for Fighters

£235 Annual fee includes:

1 x Admin time for annual sign up/renewal with entry into secure clinical records system and reminder database (with online client portal and smartphone app access coming soon).

= £15 per year

2 x £50 for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C including all postage of blood packs and return postage including emergency 2 hour on-site service if required.

= £100 per year

2 x Admin Upload of results sent from pathology lab into clinical records database. Secure disposal of paper records. Communication with Consultants and entry into workflow for reporting.

= £20 per year

2x Consultant Sport and Exercise Specialist and Consultant Virologist review of Annual Medical, 2x Bloods Plus review of all post-fight medical reports and other reports sent before next fight ‘green light’ confirmation.

= £50 per year

2 x Consultant Sport and Exercise Specialist medical reports with guidance to each competitor after blood test. Printed and posted confidentially. Uploaded into records system

= £50 per year

Unlimited email support service (not consultation) on key next steps to take with infections or injuries after event or report.

Priority referral, best possible rates and booking to Sports Injury / Neurology / Plastics / Orthopaedics / Rheumatology / Physiology / Endocrinology / Ophthalmology experts and imaging centres within NHS or privately.

Unlimited email based reporting service to competitor’s Promotions to confirm ‘green light’ status for fights.

Exclusive news and seminars regarding fighter safety and performance advances.

FREE pre and post-fight medicals on Safe MMA shows covered by promotions.

—–

The normal price for this service would be in excess of £500 per client per year.

If fighters choose to have their bloods tested elsewhere, the annual fee will be reduced by £100 to Safe MMA. However, bloods will only be valid if:

·         they match the specification HIV (Dual Antigens), Hep C and Hep B.

·         the competitor’s name and date of birth and NHS number are printed on the results.

13.  Safe MMA Seminars

SAFE MMA will be holding 3 -4 FREE fighter seminars a year at 76 Harley Street for Safe MMA members. These will be led by leading medical experts in sports performance and injury rehabilitation.

For more information and to register visit www.safemma.co.uk

The full updated Safe MMA Agreement & Information document will be downloadable from the website shortly and is available on request.

Stay close to The MMA Review (themmareview.co.uk) for all the latest SAFE MMA news.

Jay Cee – @JayCeeMMA

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*This is an official SAFE MMA press release. A press release is an announcement of an event, performance, or other newsworthy item that is issued to the press.