Alberta’s minister of sport has announced the province will launch a review to improve athlete safety in combat sports, following the death of a fighter after an amateur MMA charity match outside of Edmonton.
In a statement sent Tuesday afternoon, Tourism and Sport Minister Joseph Schow said he’ll be meeting with the province’s municipal combative sport commissions “to better understand what gaps and opportunities exist,” and review recommendations to make combative sports safer.
Schow says former Edmonton Elks CEO Victor Cui will lead the engagement, adding that his “extensive experience working with governments to establish combative sport commissions and improve athlete safety will be a vital asset.”
Schow’s statement notes Alberta is the only province without a provincial commission for combat sports, and says the province will look at steps that would need to be taken to establish one.
“Everyone should be able to compete fairly and safely in the …