Online education unit

Jurisdiction 

• The Commission is responsible for registering contestants and industry participants; enforcing health and safety requirements; and issuing permits for contests.
• Although the Commission has the power to introduce changes, requiring participants to adhere to certain practices and procedures, it is the Commission’s intention to continue to work with the industry and its participants in a collaborative manner for the benefit of the combat sports community.

Contestant Preparation Standards and Guidelines

The Contestant Preparation Standards and Guidelines is a comprehensive resource for contestants and industry participants addressing:

• Fitness levels
• Combat sport competence
• Registration
• Pre-contest lead-up
• Nutrition
• Injury prevention and health management.
  

Registration 

A new registrant must provide the Commission with a completed registration form and associated registration documents, a certificate of fitness and a current clear serology (blood test) report.

Please be aware:

• Registration is for three years.
• Certificates of fitness are valid for 12 months.
• Serology reports are valid for six months.
  

Contestants will not be able to compete unless all these documents are current with the Commission within the required timeframes.

When applying for registration, you need to disclose whether you have ever been convicted at court, or are currently charged with any criminal offence.

Any contestant whose principal place of residence is in Western Australia must be registered no later than five days before the date of the proposed contest.

Conditions of registration

Individuals registered with the Commission are subject to conditions of registration. These conditions include:

• Registrants are subject to the Commission’s Fit and Proper policy and once registered must adhere to the Commission’s Code of Conduct. Any breach of the Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action by the Commission against the registrant.
• A contestant must not take, or allow any person to administer to them, any substance or method that is listed in the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as a prohibited substance or method. Contestants who are required to take certain medications may be able to obtain a therapeutic use exemption from the Commission.
• Contestants are required to obtain a clearance from the Commission when participating in a contest in the jurisdiction of another combat sport authority outside of Western Australia.

Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct outlines the standard of behaviour required of all contestants and industry participants registered with the Commission and forms part of the conditions of registration. 

All registrants are required to abide by the Code during combat sports events and in public.

Your actions and behaviour must be ethical, fair and honest at all times, and you must respect the principles of combat sports and their traditions.

Commission policies

The Commission has several policies which apply to combat sports. Some examples of matters dealt with in the various Commission policies include:

• Sensory Impairment and Disability in Sport policy
  • The Commission, head referee and officials must be made aware of the sensory impairment so that processes can be put into place to ensure the contestant’s safety.
• Contest Area Safety policy
  • A promoter must ensure that non-registered personnel have a specific task (e.g. media/commentators) otherwise they are required to sit outside the 2.5m exclusion zone.

The Commission has developed other policies covering a range of topics from pregnancy testing, to dual roles and children participating in promotions.

View all the policies.

Fact sheets

The Commission produces many fact sheets to guide the combat sports industry. Topics covered in the fact sheets include:

Importance of Contestant Record Book fact sheet

Contestants must present their contestant record book to the Commission representative or medical practitioner before they can compete in a contest. 

Matchmakers’ fact sheet

A matchmaker is required to provide the Commission with a contestant’s complete record regardless of discipline or whether they are professional or amateur.

Promoters’ fact sheet

A promoter must ensure that international contestants are scheduled to arrive in Perth no less than 48 hours prior to the relevant promotion.

Pre-contest medicals

• After the weigh-in and prior to the event, all contestants must submit to a pre-contest medical. All contestants will be required to undertake a series of checks before they will be cleared to compete.
• The medical practitioner will determine each contestant’s fitness to compete based on all available evidence. If a medical practitioner deems a contestant ‘not fit to compete’, that contestant will be removed from the contest card and will not be allowed to compete.
• Reasons a medical practitioner might render a contestant ‘not fit to compete’ may include:
  • Any sign of use of a prohibited substance or alcohol
  • A recent fracture or cut
  • Severe dehydration
  • An acute illness
  • A skin disease
  • Any other condition that, in the opinion of the medical practitioner, would be detrimental to the contestant or the opponent.
• All female contestants over the age of 16 years must undertake a pregnancy test. Each contestant must submit a urine sample and sign the bottom of the pre-contest medical form stating that the sample provided is her own. 
• Is it an offence under the Act to provide false or misleading information to the medical practitioner or Commission at the pre-contest medical.

Rehydration through IV use

• Rehydration using IV (intravenous) fluids can be dangerous and the Commission prohibits their use, except for medical reasons.
• The use of IV fluids without a medical reason contravenes the WADA code and will result in a ban from competition. If an IV fluid is required for medical reasons, a contestant must first obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) from the treating medical practitioner.
  

Water intoxication

• Drinking too much water (many litres) in a short time (water loading) when not dehydrated can dilute the blood, and can dangerously dilute body electrolytes (hyponatremia) which can kill you. The kidneys cannot remove the excess fluid quickly enough and the excess water causes the body cells to swell. This in turn can cause the brain to swell.
• Contestants are encouraged to maintain normal hydration at all times.

Concussion

Concussion is a significant head injury caused by trauma to the head. It is important that people with concussion rest and that their recovery is monitored.

Concussion signs and symptoms may include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Loss of consciousness
• Dizziness
• Problems with balance        
• Temporary memory loss
• Sensitivity to light and noise
• Confusion
• Problems with attention
• Brief convulsions

Compulsory procedures following a knockout

Contestants who have been knocked out must be examined by the medical practitioner at the contest venue.

Following a knockout, the following compulsory medical suspensions apply, that is, no sparring or contests should be entered into for the following periods:

• 1st occasion: 30 days
• 2nd consecutive knockout: 60 days
• 3rd consecutive knockout: 90 days

Following the mandatory medical suspension, contestants who have been knocked out on three consecutive occasions must provide the Commission with a new Certificate of Fitness and be cleared by the Commission before resuming contests.

Rules

Under section 62A of the Act, all combat sports contests must be held in accordance with rules approved by the Minister for Sport and Recreation. Commission rules apply to all contests in Western Australia unless the Commission approves the use of the rules of a sanctioning body.

Rules can cover ring requirements, dress codes, conduct of contests, official requirements and duties. For example:

• Dress code: it is mandatory for contestants to wear a mouth guard
• Official’s requirements and duties: a judge must remain seated until the verdict of the contest has been announced.

Commission contest rules.