Florida Statutes 548.0065 – Amateur matches; sanctioning and supervision; health and safety standards; compliance checks; continuation, suspension, and revocation of sanctioning approval
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Terms Used In Florida Statutes 548.0065
- Amateur: means a person who has never received nor competed for any purse or other article of value, either for the expenses of training or for participating in a match, other than a prize of $50 or less in value. See Florida Statutes 548.002
- Amateur sanctioning organization: means a business entity organized for sanctioning and supervising matches involving amateurs. See Florida Statutes 548.002
- Boxing: means the unarmed combat sport of fighting by striking with fists. See Florida Statutes 548.002
- Commission: means the Florida Athletic Commission. See Florida Statutes 548.002
- Contest: means a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts engagement in which persons participating strive to win using strikes and blows to the head or other full-contact maneuvers. See Florida Statutes 548.002
- Event: means one or more matches comprising a show. See Florida Statutes 548.002
- Kickboxing: means the unarmed combat sport of fighting by striking with the fists, hands, feet, legs, or any combination thereof. See Florida Statutes 548.002
- Match: means a contest or exhibition. See Florida Statutes 548.002
- Mixed martial arts: means the unarmed combat sport involving the use of a combination of techniques, including, but not limited to, grappling, kicking, striking, and using techniques from different disciplines of the martial arts, including, but not limited to, boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, jujitsu, and wrestling. See Florida Statutes 548.002
(1) No match involving amateurs which utilizes, but is not necessarily limited to, strikes or blows to the head may be held in this state unless it is sanctioned and supervised by an amateur sanctioning organization approved by the commission. An approved amateur sanctioning organization may only sanction and supervise the contests or exhibitions in the particular sport or sports for which it has expertise and for which it is approved by the commission.
(2) The commission may not approve any amateur sanctioning organization unless it has adopted and agreed to enforce a defined set of standards that applies to all matches which will adequately protect the health and safety of the amateurs participating in the matches and the public and can adequately demonstrate to the satisfaction of the commission that the principals of the organization have sufficient background, training, and experience in sanctioning and supervising matches for which the organization is approved.
(3) Periodic compliance checks may be performed by a representative of the commission designated by the executive director in order to ensure enforcement of approved health and safety standards and supervision of matches by the approved amateur sanctioning organization.
(4) Any member of the commission or the executive director of the commission may suspend the approval of an amateur sanctioning organization for failure to supervise amateur matches or to enforce the approved health and safety standards required under this chapter, provided that the suspension complies with the procedures for summary suspensions in s. 120.60(6). At any amateur boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts contest, any member of the commission or a representative of the commission may immediately suspend one or more matches in an event whenever it appears that the match or matches violate the health and safety standards established by rule as required by this chapter. A law enforcement officer may assist any member of the commission or a representative of the commission to enforce an order to stop a contest if called upon to do so by a member of the commission or a representative of the commission.
(5) The commission shall review its approval of the amateur sanctioning organization at least biennially, or sooner if determined necessary based upon the periodic compliance checks or complaints to the commission, to determine continuation of approval. The commission may continue approval or may suspend or revoke approval based upon compliance of the organization with the approved sanctioning standards and its ability to supervise matches in the state.