Inquiry into fighter’s death calls for Alberta to regulate matches and impose tighter controls

The judge overseeing the death inquest into the death of fighter Tim Hague, who was knocked out in a bout in Edmonton seven years ago, is calling for sweeping changes to the way combat sports are regulated in the province.

Hague died of a brain hemorrhage on June 18, 2017, two days after he was knocked unconscious by his opponent in a boxing match sanctioned by the Edmonton Combat Sports Commission.

He defeated Lahey with a left uppercut in the second round. He managed to walk to the locker room, lost consciousness again and fell into a coma.

Hague, 34, was treated for a brain hemorrhage but did not recover. He was taken off life support two days after the fight.

Lahey’s death has led to calls for better regulation of fighting events in the province, has had ripple effects on the sport and continues to raise questions about safety regulations for fighters and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters in Alberta.

In her report into Lahey’s death, Judge Carrie Sharpe said Alberta should handle enforcement of combat sports on its own, rather than the current patchwork of municipal bodies.

Alberta is the only province to place combat sports commissions under municipal jurisdiction. Sports safety advocates and city officials have long lobbied to create a single governing body in the state.

“There is no provincial oversight in Alberta, like no other jurisdiction in North America,” Sharpe of the Alberta Court of Justice says in his report.

“With no provincial oversight, there are gaps in enforcement for incidents that could lead to suspensions not being properly enforced.”

Sharpe makes 14 recommendations in total, including a call for strict limits on when competitors are allowed to fight and how fighter safety is regulated.

It calls for guidelines to be developed to prevent fighters who may be suffering from concussions or other traumatic brain injuries from entering the ring.

Sharpe recommends universal suspension periods, more centralized tracking of athletes’ fight records and measures to ensure all fighters are subject to regular rest periods between fights.

“Boxers don’t always just box,” Sharpe writes. “They can also participate in MMA and so commissions need to look at the fact that there are different rules, particularly around suspensions.”

Under current rules, a boxer who is knocked out due to two blows to the head within a six-month period will be suspended for 180 days. The suspension period in MMA is currently 60 days.

Currently in boxing, three hits to the head results in a one-year suspension, while MMA fighters are taken off the cards for a maximum of 90 days.

The report calls for mandatory medical suspensions of 14 days or more between all fights, regardless of outcome.

Sharpe writes that fighters who face knockouts should face a mandatory suspension and be disqualified from fighting again for at least 90 days.

His suggestions include calls for more oversight of how a fighter’s health is monitored.

Sharpe suggests that if a fighter loses by knockout due to blows to the head, he should be forced to provide an MRI or CT scan proving he is fit to fight.

Competitors are required to have a CT scan every six months, regardless of injuries they sustain in the ring. The judge said a single database should be created to track fighters’ medical and match histories.

Sharpe is also calling for “concussion monitors” to be deployed at every combat sports event in the state. The judge said those men, who had medical training to recognize the signs of a concussion, should have had the authority to stop the fight.

Sharpe also says referees should receive mandatory training every year on how to spot signs of head trauma, and fight doctors should be required to review all previous medical results of fighters under their care.

One last fight

Hague, a teacher from Boyle, Alta., who made his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2006, was initially not listed on the June 16, 2017 fight card. He was asked to enter the contest after another fighter was suspended for medical reasons.

Hague has suffered numerous knockouts and has been sidelined multiple times due to concussion symptoms. His most recent suspension expired days before the fight.

The inquest heard he suffered a subdural hematoma and had a large area of ​​bleeding on his brain.

There was also evidence of traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease often seen in athletes and veterans with a history of repetitive brain trauma.

The City of Edmonton held its own investigation into Lahey’s death, which also highlighted a number of shortcomings in regulatory oversight. The moratorium on combat sports in the city has been in effect since July 2022.

In a statement, the city said it was in the process of reviewing the proposals to evaluate their feasibility and potential impact on public safety. The city said a formal response to the investigation will be completed by March 2025.

‘A very different jurisdiction’

Alberta Tourism and Sports Minister Joseph Schow said the province will review the recommendations, consult with sports commissions and determine next steps.

He declined to say whether Alberta would serve as the sanctioning body.

“Alberta is a very different jurisdiction, but in this case we’re going to make sure that we don’t act out of line when it comes to safety and that we take future steps looking at this report. And we’ll come back with the plan,” Schow told CBC on Tuesday.

Hague’s family said he should never have stepped into the ring that night and that those responsible for his safety failed to protect him.

The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2019, demanding more than $5 million in compensation due to gross negligence that caused death.

His family declined to comment on the case but released a statement to CBC on Tuesday.

“We are happy to put this behind us and move forward with our lives,” the statement said.

“This was always about the safety of the warriors. We hope the commission’s recommendations will ensure that no other family has to face the death of a loved one.”