Fighters exploited & forgotten in failing system - Smith
Fighters are being "hurt, exploited or forgotten" in a failing system, says former boxer Paul Smith, who has criticised a lack of support for athletes.
Key points
- Former boxer Paul Smith says fighters are being hurt, exploited or forgotten in a failing system with little support.
- The Global Fighters' Association plans the biggest ever inquiry into health and safety in combat sport, led by Jonathan Caplan KC.
- The GFA aims to raise £500,000 through crowdfunding and wants to become the umbrella organisation for all combat sport.
Former boxer Paul Smith has criticised a lack of support for athletes, saying fighters are being "hurt, exploited or forgotten" in a failing system. Smith, who retired in 2017 after three challenges for a super-middleweight world title, is part of a team set up to represent fighters and safeguard their futures.
The group, the Global Fighters' Association (GFA), was formed last year with the aim of creating a union for fighters. It now plans to launch what it calls the biggest ever inquiry into health and safety in combat sport.
What the inquiry will cover
The GFA says barrister Jonathan Caplan KC has been secured to lead the inquiry, which will examine the safety, governance and treatment of combat sports participants at all levels, from grassroots to professional. He will produce a report based on the evidence and testimonies gathered.
The GFA is a non-profit organisation aiming to raise £500,000 for the inquiry through a crowdfunding campaign. It says it wants to campaign for fair contracts and better pay, insurance and pensions, proper health and safety standards, and an official channel for fighters to report problems.
That's not a system. That's a failing.
— Paul Smith
Fundraisers and union calls
The GFA points to public fundraisers that have helped fighters such as Lee Reeves pay for emergency care after serious injuries. Smith said it is a failing of the system when fighters have to raise money to pay for recovery.
GFA chair designate Simon Bazalgette said combat sport is one of the last workplaces with no professional representation for its workers. The article also notes that British MMA fighter Michael 'Venom' Page recently urged fighters to form a union, and GFA acting general secretary Paul Maloney warned that changes to the Muhammad Ali Act should alarm fighters.
