CBF Safety Code

July 2007

LICENSING  

1          In order to obtain an initial boxing license, or the renewal of a boxing license, each Federation member will require those boxers resident in its jurisdiction to submit to a thorough examination annually by its Medical Advisor(s). The examination shall be conducted in accordance with APPENDIX A, attached, and in accordance with the prescribed form APPENDIX A-1. The Medical Advisor(s) may require any boxer boxing in its jurisdiction (whether resident in the jurisdiction or otherwise) to undergo such tests and any other tests which might be indicated by the past or present condition of the boxer.

  FIVE DAY MEDICAL

2.   All contestants in a Championship contest shall be given a physical examination not less than five (5) days prior to the date of the contest.  Such examination shall be conducted by a physician approved by the commission and shall include all the tests and surveys deemed necessary by the examining physician as warranted by the past or present condition of the contestant and shall be in the prescribed form APPENDIX "A-2".

  PRE-MEDICAL

3.   Contestants in all contests shall submit to the type of examination as outlined in Section 2, not more than thirty (30) hours, and not less than eight (8) hours before the scheduled contest, and again prior to leaving the dressing room before the contest.

  POST-MEDICAL AND TREATMENT

4.   (a)  At the discretion of the Ringside Physician, all contestants shall submit to a post-contest examination before leaving the dressing room.  Such examination shall include any tests or surveys as deemed warranted by the present condition of the contestant and shall be in the prescribed form APPENDIX "A-3".

(b)  In the event of any serious injury, the Ringside Physician shall immediately render emergency treatment, recommend further treatment or hospitalization and fully report the matter in accordance with Section 3.  Said physician may also require that the injured contestant and his manager remain in the ring or on the premises after the contest for such period of time as the physician deems advisable.

(c)        Any contestant who has sustained serious injury or knockout while in training for a contest or from some other means, shall immediately inform the commission himself or through his manager.  The contestant shall undergo such medical examination(s) as shall be required by the commission in accordance with APPENDIX "A" attached.

  SUSPENSIONS

5.   (a)            Knockout and Technical Knockout - Head Blows:

(i) Contestants who suffer a knockout (KO) or a technical knockout from blows to the head (TKO-H) shall be suspended for not less than sixty (60) days.

(ii) Contestants who suffer two (2) consecutive or a combination of two (2) knockouts or technical knockouts from blows to the head (TKO-H) within a six (6) month period shall be suspended for not less than one hundred eighty (180) days.

(iii)     Contestants who suffer three (3) consecutive or a combination of three (3) knockouts (KO) or technical knockouts from blows to the head (TKO-H) within a one (1) year period shall be suspended for not less than (1) one year.

      (b)      Technical Knockouts – Cuts:

Contestants who suffer a technical knockout as the result of cuts (TKO-C) shall be suspended for not less than thirty (30) days.

      (c)      Technical Knockouts - Bodv Blows:

Contestants who suffer a technical knockout as the result of blows to the body (TKO-B) shall be suspended for such duration as prescribed by the Ringside Physican.

(d)      Required Medicals:

      Contestants who are suspended shall immediately surrender their licenses to the commission and shall not be re-instated until successfully passing a medical examination as follows:

      (i)    for knockout and technical knockout from blows to the head, a complete medical examination  (APPENDIX "A") in the form prescribed (APPENDIX "A-I"); or

(iii)   for technical knockouts from cuts or blows to the body, a medical examination as prescribed by the Ringside Physician.

      (e)  Allowed Training:

In all cases the contestant shall refrain from contact training until at least one-half  (1/2) of the suspension period has expired and shall not partake in said contact training until the necessary medical examination has been passed.  Failure to comply with this provision shall invoke automatic permanent suspension for the contestant AND his manager.

      (f)   General Suspensions:

Any contestant may be suspended by the commission Medical Advisor or Ringside Physician if he deems said suspension necessary for the protection of the contestant's health and life.  The suspended contestant may be re-instated after successfully passing a complete medical examination in accordance with Section 1. In the case of repeated knockouts or severe beatings the contestant shall be ordered retired for his own protection.

EIGHT COUNT

6.   In all boxing contests, including Championship contests, when a contestant is clearly knocked down, he shall take a mandatory count of eight (8), whether or not he has regained his feet before the count of eight (8) is reached.

THREE (3) KNOCKDOWNS - REPEALED

7.   In all boxing contests, including Championships, when a contestant is clearly knocked down a total of three (3) times in any one (1) round, the contest shall be terminated and the opponent awarded the decision by technical knockout.  All knockdowns shall be for the mandatory count of eight (8). There is NO three knockdown rule in Canadian championship matches.

OFFICIALS' MEDICAL

8.   Semi-annual and annual medical examinations shall be conducted upon all licensed judges and referees by the commission physician in accordance with APPENDIX "A".

INJURY REPORTING

9.   (a)  In the event a contestant has been treated for any injury or illness by his personal physician or been hospitalized, he or his manager shall promptly submit to the commission a full report from the physician or hospital.

(b)  Any illness or injury to a contestant before a scheduled contest shall be reported to the commission within twenty-four (24) hours by the contestant or his manager.  The contestant shall be examined by a physician approved by the commission and a full report filed with the commission.

EMERGENCY TREATMENT

10.  When a contestant has been knocked out, none of his handlers is to touch him except to remove his mouth protector until the Ringside Physician enters the ring and personally attends the fallen contestant and issues such instructions to the contestant's handlers as he so determines.

  PERSONAL PROTECTORS

11.  Each contestant shall equip himself and use throughout a contest a custom made, individually fabricated mouth protector. The CBF endorses and recommends the use of the WIPSS Jaw Joint Protector to provide increased protection to the jaw joint and base of the skull and reduce the incidence of injury.

NECESSARY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

12.  A portable resuscitator with oxygen equipment and a stretcher shall be placed under or near the ring for all boxing contests. An ambulance shall be stationed outside the nearest door to the ring and the promoter shall be responsible for securing the shortest route possible between the ring and the ambulance door.

PAST RECORD CERTIFICATION

13.    In each application for a contest, a Fight Fax, or any other certifiable record acceptable to the Federation, must accompany the application. The boxer must also produce a valid license and passport from his home jurisdiction, where applicable.

  ITEMS PERMISSIBLE TO USE DURING A FIGHT

14.  Seconds shall be restricted to the use of materials during a contest issued to them or approved by the commission as follows:

(a)      Thrombin, Avetine, Thrombin soaked pads;

(b)      Adrenalin 1/1000 solution, restricted for topical haemostasis of cuts and nosebleeds only;

(c)      vaseline or petroleum jelly;

(d)      gauze pads;

(e)      cotton swabs;

(f)      adhesive surgeon's tape;

(g)      clean towels;

(h)      clean water;

(i)         ice;

(j)                   bandage scissors;

(k)                 electrolyte replenishment in a form approved by the Commission; and

(l)      such other items or substances that have been approved by the Federation Medical Advisory Committee.

  EXTENDED REST PERIODS

15.  In the event of a required medical examination of a contestant between rounds, the inter-round rest period may be extended beyond sixty (60) seconds by the Ringside Physician who shall signal a "time-out" if it is apparent more than sixty (60) seconds is required.  If the inter-round rest period is extended beyond ninety (90) seconds, under such circumstances, the contest shall be automatically terminated.

  RETINAL DETACHMENT

16.  Any contestant diagnosed as having a detached retina shall be permanently barred from professional contests or exhibitions, unless he has received treatment and a qualified retinal surgeon certifies the contestant is safe to box, and visual standards as laid down in the Safety Code are met.

  MANDATORY REST PERIODS

17.  A mandatory rest period shall be imposed upon all boxers as follows:

(a)  Thirty (30) days rest for contestants who have actually competed in ten (10) rounds or more;

(b)  Twenty-one (2l) days rest for contestants who have actually competed in six (6) to nine (9) rounds; and

(c)      Fourteen (14) days rest for contestants who have actually competed in one (1) to five (5) rounds.

BLOOD BOOSTING

18.  It shall be STRICTLY PROHIBITED for boxers to practice "blood boosting" for non-medical or recreational purposes.

  PROXIMITY OF MEDICAL FACILITIES

19.  No professional boxing contest shall be held in a location where there are no medical facilities to deal with any injuries that are reasonably foreseeable consequences of the show, sufficiently close to the venue where the show is being held. 

  WEIGHT LOSS

  1. (a) No boxer shall be permitted to lose more than three (3%) percent of his body weight on the day of the match in order to make a stipulated weight.

(b) No boxer shall be permitted to lose more than seven (7%) percent of his body weight in the seven (7) days preceding a contest. The home commission of the boxer will conduct a weigh-in seven (7) days prior to the contest to determine the weight of the contestant, and forward that information to the host commission of the Championship match.

WEIGHT DIFFERENTIALS

      22.   In non Championship matches there shall not be a weight differential of more than the  following:

Where the lighter contestant weighs:

Less than 118 lbs…………………………………………Three (3) lbs

118.1 – 126 lbs…………………………………………….Five (5) lbs

126.1 – 135 lbs…………………………………………….Seven (7) lbs

135.1 – 147 lbs….…………………………………………Nine (9) lbs

147.1 – 160lbs…..…………………………………………Eleven (11) lbs

160.1 – 175 lbs…………………………………………….Twelve (12) lbs

175.1 – 190 lbs…………………………………………….Fourteen (14) lbs

More than 190 lbs…………………………………………No Limit

GLOVES – STANDARDS

23.  The use of thumbless and/or attached thumb gloves of a standard approved by the Federation shall be mandatory for all contestants.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

24.  (a)  All boxers shall be tested at least every twelve (12) months for infectious diseases, specifically HIV (Human Immune Deficiency), HBV (Hepatitis "B"), and HBC (Hepatitis "C"), as per Appendix "A". Boxers who test positive shall not be permitted to box.

(b)  All gloves shall be disinfected after each bout before being used again.

(c)  After each bout, where blood is present, the ring shall be disinfected before the next bout is permitted to begin.