Quite frankly, I think the fans -- and in some cases, the media -- are relatively disconnected from the rules and the ongoing efforts of athletic commissions. It's disappointing to witness the wrong set of judging criteria being referenced in a discussion, whether that's on an internet forum, in an article, or on a website's radio show; or broadcast teams deeming sections of the rules "contentious" when they're clear as day, thereby implicating an official unjustly who is merely doing his job correctly.
Have you studied the official passage of MMA's rules and regulations on the ABC website? Can you recite the unified scoring criteria on command? Do you know how fouls are supposed to be handled, and what the different allowances for a low blow are? Can you describe what areas of the back of the head are illegal to strike? Do you understand that the rules of each individual state can and do vary from the unified rules, and do you know which states do, and how? If you can't rattle these answers off, do you know where to find the information if you need it?
Groundbreaking information and changes often result from these meetings. For example, in the results from the ABC's 2008 meeting: new weight classes were considered, detailed definitions of illegal strikes to the back of the head were explained, the application of grease was discussed stemming from the Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn fiasco, and Anderson Silva's linear kicks to the knee of Thales Leites prompted a conversation on the legality of the technique.
Beyond the fold, a copy of the full agenda from this year's annual ABC convention is posted. I've only removed unimportant items such as lunch breaks and registration forms, but the complete list of discussion points for boxing and MMA are intact.
On the docket for MMA, subjects of interest are "Therapeutic Exemption", reports and updates from the Training Committee and the Scoring Committee, and training seminars for both officials and judges that last one day each.
ASSOCIATION OF BOXING COMMISSIONS
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
July 30 - August 3, 2011
WASHINGTON COURT HOTEL
525 NEW JERSEY AVENUE N. W.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
July 30 - August 3, 2011
WASHINGTON COURT HOTEL
525 NEW JERSEY AVENUE N. W.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AGENDA
Saturday July 30, 2011
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Board of Directors Round Table
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM- Officials Training Seminars - See Attached Registration Forms
Sunday, July 31, 2011
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Board of Directors Round Table
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Officials Training Seminars - See Attached Registration Forms
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Conference Registration
Monday, August 1, 2011
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM- Registration
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM - Welcome by District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
- Introduction of Members
- Voter Authority Forms
- Approval of Meeting Minutes from 2010 Annual Meeting
- Treasurer Report
- Chickasaw Nation Athletic Commission
- President's Report
1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
- 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Election of New Officers - (Spizler, MD, Lembo, Compliance Committee Report (ABC MEMBERS ONLY)
- Boxer Fighting on Suspension
- Chief John P. Froman, Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Perspective on Compacting with State Athletic Commissions
- Fight Fax Record Keeper Report (Ani Miramontes)
- ABC MMA Database Committee Report, Chairman, Bernie Profato, OH
- MMA, LLC Record Keeper Report - (Kirik Jenness)
- Administrative Rules that work well for your Commission, (Miller, OK)
- ABC Policies on Administrative Suspensions, (Profato, OH)
- Glove Selection Brands/Styles, (Sirb, PA)
- Antonio Margarito
- World Series of Boxing
- Tribal boxing commissions - compliance with Federal Law
- Discussion of Proposed Adoption of a Byline for the ABC
- Discussion of Proposed Logo Change for the ABC
- President
- Vice President (2)
- Treasurer
- Secretary
5:30 PM - 6:30 PMCocktail Party: Sponsored by the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 - (ALL ATTENDEES WELCOME)
8:30 AM - NOON- General Session - Boxing
- Computerized Scoring Demonstration, (Mazzulli)
- Non-Complaint Sanctioning Organizations (Erickson)
- Contestants who fail Drug/Steroid Test, Policy for ABC on changing decision, (Miller)
- What Constitutes a TKO or KO, (Dodd)
- World Judges Report
- Medical Insurance for Contestants fighting outside of the US, (Sirb)
- Request a Test, Noelle Perez & Carolyn Solis
- Conflicts of Interest, (Davis)
- Paul Johnson, Boxer's Organizing Committee
- McCoy L Moretz, MD, FACS, New Hemorrhaging Solution
- Maryland's Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury (CTBI) Study, (Dr. Stiller)
- Quick Neurological Exam for Referees to Access Boxers, (Dr Coletta)
- ABC Uniform Procedures for Requesting Contestants' Medicals, Progress Report, (Pannella)
- Maryland's Group Secondary Medical Insurance Policy for Constants, (Pannella)
- Study of Medical Malpractice Insurance Coverage for Physicians, (John Gradowski)
- Regulation of Professional Wrestling, Panel Discussion (Pannella, McCaffrey, Miller, Robertson, Lueckenhoff)
Wednesday August 3, 2011
8:30 AM - NOON General Session - Mixed Martial Arts
- MMA Training Committee Report, Lembo
- Muay Thai Unified Rules Committee, Lembo
- Committee Report - Unified Amateur MMA Rules, Foster
- Committee Report - MMA Scoring Committee, Mullen
- Mandatory Requirement of MMA ID card, Miller
- MEDLIC Medical Database, Jan Hubbard & Rebecca Johnson
- Discussion Policy on licensing of contestant's with missing limb(s)
- Discussion Medical Requirement for Contestants over age 36
- Therapeutic Exemptions
- Brent Stuchlik, True Sports Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd, (Cage Specifications)
- Body Weight Study, (Reid)
- Discussion of MMA Contestants who Compete in Non-Sanctioned Events, (Miller)
Sponsored by: South Jersey Healthcare
Dr. Robert Smick and Joan Pierce.
- Swearing in of New Officers (Spizler, MD, Lembo, NJ Legal Committee Co-Chair)
Conclusion of the Silent Auction
ABC OFFICIALS TRAINING SEMINARS- BOXING TRAINING
Saturday, July 30, 2011
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Officials' Registration
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Judges' Training Course
Trainer: Duane Ford
Sunday, July 31, 2011
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Officials' Registration
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Referees' Training Course
Trainer: Eddie Cotton, Gary Rosato, Steve Smoger, Rudy Battle, Greg Sirb
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Saturday, July 30, 2011
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Officials' Registration
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Referee' Training Course
Trainer: Mario Yamasaki
Sunday, July 31, 2011
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Officials' Registration
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Judges' Training Course
Trainer: Mario Yamasaki