MMA promotions lag behind most different main sports activities in the case of home violence insurance policies for athletes. It’s time for that to alter.
The NBA and the NBA Gamers Affiliation (NBPA) have a “joint policy on domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.” MLB and the Main League Baseball Gamers Affiliation(MLBPA) have a similar policy. The NFL doesn’t have a selected home violence coverage. Nonetheless, it has a personal conduct policy that addresses “precise or threatened bodily violence towards one other individual, together with courting violence, home violence, youngster abuse, and different types of household violence.”
Every of those insurance policies is detailed in its protection. A few of the subjects lined within the paperwork — along with the anticipated potential punishment — are coaching and schooling, remedy and intervention, investigation of incidents, household assets and the way athletes can return to lively standing following a suspension.
Within the aftermath of UFC president Dana White slapping his wife on New Yr’s Eve whereas on a household trip in Mexico, the UFC and different MMA promotions have to take steps to catch as much as the NBA and MLB in getting a written in coverage in place relating to home violence.
The UFC Fighter Code of Conduct mentions home violence, but it surely solely does so in passing. That doc states:
“Self-discipline could also be imposed for misconduct, which incorporates with out limitation the next examples:
“Felony offenses together with, however not restricted to, these involving: the use or risk of violence; home violence and different types of companion abuse; theft and different property crimes; intercourse offenses; obstruction or resisting arrest; disorderly conduct; fraud; racketeering; and cash laundering.”
Within the first month of 2023 alone, there have been a number of instances of violence towards girls involving present and former UFC fighters and personalities:
January 1: UFC vet Cain Carrizosa was arrested after another domestic violence incident, with the sufferer struggling repeated seizures probably from head trauma.
January 2: Footage is launched of Dana White slapping his wife throughout NYE.
January 2: UFC vet Phil Baroni was arrested for allegedly murdering his girlfriend in Mexico.
January 10: Police reviews got here to gentle exhibiting UFC vet Tony Martin being arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman.
January 23: UFC vet Raulian Paiva was arrested for domestic violence.
January 24: Stories got here out that Conor McGregor was sued for allegedly assaulting another woman. The accuser’s car was then also set on fire in Dublin in a suspected arson.
Even within the years prior, there’s been a long and concerning history of domestic violence cases, with the UFC having mixed results in coping with these incidents.
As for White’s case, the UFC president has confronted zero repercussions from the UFC’s homeowners —Endeavor — or its broadcast companions at Disney/ESPN and TBS. White’s punishment, at the least according to him, is “I’ve to stroll round for nonetheless lengthy I reside… and that is how I’m labeled now. The punishment is that I did it, and now I’ve to take care of it.”
White adopted that declare by saying that punishing him would solely damage the UFC, its fighters and its workers, which was a stunningly narcissistic response from anybody, even somebody as self-important as White, who once described himself as a “battle genius” and “promotion genius.”
If the UFC — and the opposite main MMA promotions — put collectively and printed complete and detailed home violence, sexual assault and youngster abuse insurance policies that cowl fighters and workers, it will go a good distance towards exhibiting that the promotion is extra than simply a corporation that takes the by now debunked stance that it has a “zero-tolerance” coverage and that “nobody bounces again from placing their palms on a girl.”
The MLB coverage is a prolonged 13 pages. That doc is an efficient blueprint for the UFC and different MMA promotions to comply with, because it states early on:
takes an absolute stand towards home violence, sexual assault and youngster
abuse;
– protects the authorized and procedural rights of Gamers;
– supplies help to victims and households, particularly info and referrals
to out there assets;
– acknowledges that Gamers might also be the victims in intimate relationships;
– focuses on schooling and prevention, together with coaching on this coverage;
– makes use of the simplest strategies and assets for therapeutic intervention
for abusers and people abused; and
Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.– permits for therapeutic packages for Gamers and for the imposition of
applicable self-discipline on Gamers.
It’s not nearly White, who will probably emerge with out dealing with any repercussions, as there’s been a regarding historical past of individuals within the sport being violent in direction of girls and their companions.
The UFC, together with the opposite MMA promotions, actually must shore up its weak and ineffective insurance policies and make a press release. That features taking steps so far as schooling and coaching. Something wanting that can be enterprise as typical for the group and from what we’ve seen over time, that’s not adequate.
Bloody Elbow reached out to UFC, Bellator and PFL relating to their particular home violence insurance policies. Not one of the promotions responded to our request.
