Future of combat sport regulation uncertain as Alberta gov't stays mum on review

More than a year after the Alberta government announced a formal review of combat sports safety, triggered by a deadly mixed martial arts match west of Edmonton, little is known about its progress.

In December 2024, following the death of a 33-year-old Edmonton man in an amateur charity match, Alberta's then minister of sport, Joseph Schow, announced a review would be launched to improve fighter safety and explore the viability of centralized regulation.

Erik Magraken, a combat sports regulatory lawyer in B.C. and a licensed MMA judge, expressed frustration over the lack of progress.

“They've done nothing,” he said. “They've offered some empty words, but there's been no action.” 

Alberta is the only jurisdiction in Canada without centralized provincial regulation of combat sports. Instead, the province relies on a patchwork of municipal commissions to maintain the safety of fighters in all combat sports, including boxing and MMA.

Alberta’s regulatory framework remains unchanged, despite a decade of calls for a provincial commissioning authority and a fatality inquiry into the 2017 death of fighter Tim Hague, which intensified pressure on the government to step up as sole regulator for the sport. 

The announcement of a review committee followed the November 2024 death of Trokon Dousuah, a 33-year-old man who  suffered injuries in an amateur MMA charity match at the community centre in Enoch, on Edmonton's western outskirts.

Dousah, who entered the ring as a novice, won his three-round bout, but had to be helped from the ring and later died in hospital.

When the review committee was announced, Schow said he would meet with municipal combative sport commissions to better understand gaps in regulation and examine what would be needed to establish a provincial combative sport commission in Alberta.

Details on its progress to date, however, are scant. 

Former Edmonton Elks CEO Victor Cui, appointed to lead the review, has not responded to multiple requests for comment and has made no formal announcements about the committee’s progress. 

Andrew Boitchenko, who has served as Alberta’s sport minister since May, declined repeated CBC interview requests. He instead issued a brief statement to CBC by email, reiterating the government’s commitment to fighters’ safety. 

“We are committed to ensuring the safety of our athletes,” Boitchenko said.  “While meaningful change will take time, we take this matter seriously and are approaching it with care.” 

Boitchenko’s press secretary said the minister has held regular meetings with Alberta’s combative sport partners, including existing sport commissions and other experts, to discuss governance models, athlete safety and event protocols.