Reforms affecting Combatants, Industry Participants and Promotors
The Combat Sports Amendment Act 2024 became law on 3 April 2024 and some reforms affecting Combatants, Industry Participants, Promoters, Attending Medical Practitioners and Approved Amateur Bodies will start on 1 July 2024.
These reforms will make changes to the Combat Sports Act 2013 (Act) and Combat Sports Regulation 2014 (Regulation). Changes to the online version of the Act and Regulation on the NSW Legislation website will reflect these changes shortly after they come into effect on 1 July 2024.
Below highlights the reforms that will affect you or be relevant to your role in the Combat Sports sector. It is important to carefully read the changes outlined in the sections below relating to your registration category.
There will be further reforms from the Amendment Act coming over the next 12 months. All Combat Sports registered participants will be advised of these reforms by email and will be directed to this website for further details.
Combatants
There are several reforms which will affect you when applying for registration and during the period of your registration.
- A registered combatant may apply to add 1 or more classes of combatant. The application requirements and determination conditions remain as per the normal criteria under the Act. If the added class(es) are granted, the added class(es) will expire on the same day as the previous registration expiry date before the additional class(es) were added.
- Section 16 of the Act is being inserted to enable the Authority to determine guidelines for assessing applications from combatants to transition from professional to amateur for the same style of combat sport.
- The Authority must refuse to register an applicant as a combatant of a specified registration class if it is not in the interests of the combatant’s health and safety; they are currently suspended, or in the Authority’s opinion, it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
Three additional grounds on which the Authority may take disciplinary action against a registered person are being introduced:
- If the Authority is satisfied that it would be contrary to the public interest for the person to be or remain registered.
- If a combatant has not complied with any conditions imposed on the combatant’s registration.
- If a registered person has been convicted of an offence relating to using, manufacturing, trafficking or supplying drugs during the period of the person’s registration.
There are a number of reforms which relate to medical examinations and medical suspensions:
- A combatant must not engage in a contest unless they have been examined by a medical practitioner as part of a pre-contest medical examination undertaken:
- on the day of the contest; and
- after any previous contests (if they have engaged in any other approved contest earlier that day).
- If the attending medical practitioner certifies that the combatant is not medically fit to engage in a contest for health and safety reasons, they will certify in the combatant’s medical record book that in their opinion, the combatant must not engage in any contests or sparring:
- unless they have been examined and cleared by a medical practitioner as being fit to engage in combat sports, or
- before a specified date, or
- before a specified date unless the combatant has been examined and cleared by a medical practitioner as being fit to engage in combat sports.
- The Authority may make a health and safety prohibition order against a person if they are of the opinion that it is in the interests of the health and safety of the person, or any other person, to do so.
- If a combatant has been directed to submit to a medical examination or investigation by a qualified person recommended by the medical practitioner, they may receive a notice in writing by the Authority directing them to submit to an examination or investigation on or before a specified date. The combatant must give the Authority written notice about the results of the examination.
- A certificate of fitness is a current certificate of fitness if the certificate was signed by the medical practitioner not more than 28 days before the certificate is sought to be relied upon by the person.
- For the purposes of registration, the combatant must give the Authority a current serological clearance no later than 12 months after the date of the previous certificate (as prescribed within the period prescribed in clause 63(2) of the Regulation).
- A serological clearance is a current serological clearance if the tests referred to in the clearance were carried out within:
- for a serological clearance relating to a person who is aged under 18 years—the period of 12 months before the date when the certificate is sought to be relied on, or
- otherwise—the period of 6 months before the date when the certificate is sought to be relied on.
- Definitions of “exhibition contest” and “sparring” are being included in section 4(1) of the Act as follows:
- exhibition contest means a combat sport contest in which each combatant knowingly engages in the contest on the basis that:
a) there is no adjudication of the contest for the purposes of determining or declaring a winner, and
b) there is no intention of determining or declaring a winner of the contest. - sparring means a training or practice activity in a combat sport between 2 people in relation to which there is no adjudication for the purposes of determining or declaring, nor an intention of determining or declaring, a winner at the end of the activity.
- exhibition contest means a combat sport contest in which each combatant knowingly engages in the contest on the basis that:
- It is required that all combatants (both amateur and professional) comply with the rules in relation to standard post-contest rest periods. There is a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units for non-compliance.
- A public register is being created and will provide details for combatants, including their name, registration number, registration class(es), eligible to fight to date and the combatant’s ring name.
- The Authority may, on application made by or on behalf of a registered combatant, give a “registration status certificate” (formerly a “clearance certificate”) for the combatant for the purposes of engaging in a proposed combat sport contest to be held outside NSW (whether in Australia or overseas).
Promoters
There are several reforms which will affect your registration when you apply for registration and during the period of your registration.
- The Act is being amended to require that an application for registration as an industry participant or promoter must be refused by the Authority if it is of the opinion that it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
Clause 19 of the Regulation is being amended to include two additional conditions being imposed on your registration as follows:
a) For a matchmaker or promoter – the matchmaker or promoter must not act as matchmaker or promoter of any combat sports contest for which the matchmaker or promoter is a judge, referee or timekeeper.
b) For a judge, referee or timekeeper – the judge, referee or timekeeper must not act as judge, referee or timekeeper at any contest for which the judge, referee or timekeeper is a matchmaker or promoter.
- Section 27(5) of the Act is being inserted to create a new offence where an industry participant does not comply with all conditions imposed on their registration – this offence will carry a maximum penalty for individuals of 50 penalty units or could be dealt with by penalty notice.
- Two additional grounds on which the Authority may take disciplinary action against a registered person are being introduced:
- where the Authority is satisfied that it would be contrary to the public interest for the person to be or remain registered [new section 30(1)(e) of the Act]; and
- where a registered person has been convicted of an offence relating to using, manufacturing, trafficking or supplying drugs during the period of the person’s registration [new clause 21(d) of the Regulation].
- The Authority or a combat sport inspector may before, at or after the weigh-in for a combat sport contest, give a direction under this section if the Authority or inspector is of the opinion that there is likely to be a contravention of the Act, the Regulations or Rules if the direction is not given.
- Clause 50 has been amended and clauses 50A and 50B inserted to make clear the obligation of the promoter of a combat sport contest to ensure that at least one:
- combat sport inspector,
- attending medical practitioner, and
- representative of the relevant approved amateur body is present in the contest area for the whole of the contest. Any breach carries a maximum penalty for individuals of 20 penalty points or otherwise 40 penalty points.
There are a number of reforms relating to medical examinations and medical suspensions:
- A combatant must not engage in a contest unless they have been examined by a medical practitioner as part of a pre-contest medical examination undertaken:
- on the day of the contest; and
- after any previous contests (if they have engaged in any other approved contest earlier that day).
- For the purposes of registration, the combatant must give the Authority a current certificate of fitness no later than 12 months after the date of the previous certificate, stating that in the medical practitioner’s opinion the combatant does not have any disqualifying conditions and is fit to engage in combat sports.
- A certificate of fitness is a current certificate of fitness if the certificate was signed by the medical practitioner not more than 28 days before the certificate is sought to be relied upon by the person (as prescribed in section 7A of the Act).
- In Schedule 3 of the Regulation, the words ‘tickets are to be sold’ have been changed to ‘tickets are to be issued’.
- Clause 22A is being inserted, to require promoters to pay any difference in the permit fee should the number of tickets actually issued for a combat sport contest exceed the number for which the permit fee was calculated. The Authority will issue an invoice for the balance which must be paid within 14 days. The maximum penalty for the offence is 20 penalty units for an individual or 40 penalty units otherwise.
- Section 40 of the Act is being amended to require the permit fee applicable for the contest to accompany the application for permit.
- Under a condition imposed on all permits, the matchmaker for the combat sport contest must not be listed as a combatant on the fight card for the contest for which the matchmaker has acted as matchmaker.
- Section 42(4) is being inserted, to require the holder of a permit to comply with any conditions imposed on the permit. The maximum penalty for a breach is 20 penalty units for an individual or 40 penalty units otherwise.
- Clause 23 of the Regulation is being amended to require the promoter to:
- engage an attending medical practitioner for the combat sport contest, and give the name of the practitioner to the Authority, not less than 5 days before the contest, or within any shorter period approved by the Authority, and
- notify the Authority as soon as practicable if the promoter needs to change the attending medical practitioner or engage an additional practitioner for the contest.
These other reforms may affect you as a promoter:
- Definitions of “exhibition contest” and “sparring” are being included in section 4(1) of the Act as follows:
- exhibition contest means a combat sport contest in which each combatant knowingly engages in the contest on the basis that:
a) there is no adjudication of the contest for the purposes of determining or declaring a winner, and
b) there is no intention of determining or declaring a winner of the contest. - sparring means a training or practice activity in a combat sport between 2 people in relation to which there is no adjudication for the purposes of determining or declaring, nor an intention of determining or declaring, a winner at the end of the activity.
- exhibition contest means a combat sport contest in which each combatant knowingly engages in the contest on the basis that:
- The Authority must refuse to register an applicant as a combatant of a specified registration class if it is not in the interests of the combatant’s health and safety; they are currently suspended, or in the Authority’s opinion, it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
- Section 16 of the Act is being inserted to enable the Authority to determine guidelines for assessing applications from combatants seeking to transition from professional to amateur for the same style of combat sport
- It is required that all combatants (both amateur and professional) comply with the rules in relation to standard post-contest rest periods. There is a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units for non-compliance.
- A public register is being created and will provide details for combatants, including their name, registration number, registration class(es), “eligible to fight to” date and the combatant’s ring name.
- A public register is being created for industry participants and promoters. The register will contain their name, registration class(es) and registration expiry date along with any conditions imposed on their registration.
- The Authority may, on application made by or on behalf of a registered combatant, give a “registration status certificate” (formerly a “clearance certificate”) for the combatant for the purposes of engaging in a proposed combat sport contest to be held outside NSW (whether in Australia or overseas).
Attending Medical Practitioners
There are several reforms affecting the registration of combatants relating to their health and safety.
- A definition of certificate of fitness is being inserted into Section 7A(1) of the Act. A certificate of fitness for a person, means a certificate by a medical practitioner, in the approved form, certifying that, on the date specified in the certificate, the person:
- does not have any medical, health or other physical condition prescribed by the regulations as being a condition that disqualifies a person from being registered as a combatant for the registration class of combatant in which the person is, or has applied to be, registered (a disqualifying condition), and
- satisfies any other health requirements determined by the Authority or specified in the rules as being required to be met by the person for registration as a combatant for the registration class of combatant in which the person is, or has applied to be, registered, and
- is, in the medical practitioner’s opinion, otherwise fit to engage in combat sport.
- A definition of a current certificate of fitness is being inserted into section 7A(2) of the Act. A certificate of fitness will be “current” if the certificate was signed by the medical practitioner not more than 28 days before the certificate is sought to be relied upon by the person.
There are a number of reforms relating to pre and post-contest medical examinations.
- Section 57 is being amended to clarify that the attending medical practitioner, during a pre-contest or post-contest medical examination may certify that a combatant must not engage in any contests or sparring:
- unless they have been examined and cleared by a medical practitioner as being fit to engage in combat sports, or
- before a specified date, or
- before a specified date unless they have been examined and cleared by a medical practitioner as being fit to engage in combat sports.
- Section 58 is being amended to now require a combatant to undertake a pre-contest medical examination on the day of the contest or before each contest, if they are competing in more than one contest in a day (for example, a same day eliminator).
- Clause 9C of the Regulation has been inserted to make clear the obligation of combatants to notify the Authority about the results of directed examinations. This clause applies if:
- a medical practitioner or a qualified person carries out a directed examination of a combatant, and
- based on the examination, the medical practitioner or qualified person:
- refuses to certify that, in the medical practitioner’s or qualified person’s opinion, the combatant is fit to engage in combat sport, or
- recommends that the combatant not engage in combat sports or sparring for a fixed period or until particular conditions are met.
- The combatant must give the Authority written notice, in the approved form, of the refusal or recommendation. If notice is not provided, the offence will carry a maximum penalty of 50 penalty units.
- Clause 50 has been amended and clause 50A inserted to make clear the obligation of the promoter of a combat sport contest to ensure that at least one attending medical practitioner is present in the contest area for the whole of the contest. Any breach carries a maximum penalty for individuals of 20 penalty points or otherwise 40 penalty points.
- Clause 23 of the Regulation is being amended to require the promoter to:
- engage an attending medical practitioner for the combat sport contest, and give the name of the practitioner to the Authority, not less than 5 days before the contest, or within any shorter period approved by the Authority, and
- notify the Authority as soon as practicable if the promoter needs to change the attending medical practitioner or engage an additional practitioner for the contest.
Approved Amateur Bodies
There are several reforms which will affect the registration of combatants, industry participants and promoters when they apply for registration and during the period of their registration.
- For a matchmaker or promoter – the matchmaker or promoter must not act as matchmaker or promoter of any combat sports contest for which the matchmaker or promoter is a judge, referee or timekeeper.
- For a judge, referee or timekeeper – the judge, referee or timekeeper must not act as judge, referee or timekeeper at any contest for which the judge, referee or timekeeper is a matchmaker or promoter.
- The is an obligation for the promoter of a combat sport contest to ensure that at least one representative of the relevant approved amateur body is present in the contest area for the whole of the contest. Any breach carries a maximum penalty for individuals of 20 penalty points or otherwise 40 penalty points.
- For the purposes of registration, the combatant must give the Authority a current certificate of fitness no later than 12 months after the date of the previous certificate, stating that in the medical practitioner’s opinion the combatant does not have any disqualifying conditions and is fit to engage in combat sports.
- A certificate of fitness is a current certificate of fitness if the certificate was signed by the medical practitioner not more than 28 days before the certificate is sought to be relied upon by the person.
- Definitions of “exhibition contest” and “sparring” are being included in section 4(1) of the Act as follows:
- exhibition contest means a combat sport contest in which each combatant knowingly engages in the contest on the basis that:
a) there is no adjudication of the contest for the purposes of determining or declaring a winner, and
b) there is no intention of determining or declaring a winner of the contest. - sparring means a training or practice activity in a combat sport between 2 people in relation to which there is no adjudication for the purposes of determining or declaring, nor an intention of determining or declaring, a winner at the end of the activity.
- exhibition contest means a combat sport contest in which each combatant knowingly engages in the contest on the basis that:
- The Authority must refuse to register an applicant as a combatant of a specified registration class if it is not in the interests of the combatant’s health and safety; they are currently suspended, or in the Authority’s opinion, it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
- Section 16 of the Act is being inserted to enable the Authority to determine guidelines for assessing applications from combatants seeking to transition from professional to amateur for the same style of combat sport.
- It is required that all combatants (both amateur and professional) comply with the rules in relation to standard post-contest rest periods. There is a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units for non-compliance.
- A public register is being created and will provide details for combatants, including their name, registration number, registration class(es), “eligible to fight to” date and the combatant’s ring name.
- A public register is being created for industry participants and promoters. The register will contain their name, registration class(es) and registration expiry date along with any conditions imposed on their registration.
- The Authority may, on application made by or on behalf of a registered combatant, give a “registration status certificate” (formerly a “clearance certificate”) for the combatant for the purposes of engaging in a proposed combat sport contest to be held outside NSW (whether in Australia or overseas).
Manager / Matchmaker
There are several reforms which will affect your registration when you apply for registration and during the period of your registration.
- Section 25(2) of the Act is being amended to require that an application for registration as an industry participant or promoter must be refused by the Authority if it is of the opinion that it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
- The conditions of your registration imposed by the Combat Sports Regulation 2014 will now be referred to as “standard conditions” of registration.
- Clause 19 of the Regulation is being amended to include two additional conditions being imposed on your registration as follows:
a) For a matchmaker or promoter – the matchmaker or promoter must not act as matchmaker or promoter of any combat sports contest for which the matchmaker or promoter is a judge, referee or timekeeper.
b) For a judge, referee or timekeeper – the judge, referee or timekeeper must not act as judge, referee or timekeeper at any contest for which the judge, referee or timekeeper is a matchmaker or promoter.
- Section 27(5) of the Act is being inserted to create a new offence where an industry participant does not comply with any conditions imposed on their registration – this offence will carry a maximum penalty for individuals of 50 penalty units or could be dealt with by penalty notice.
- Two additional grounds on which the Authority may take disciplinary action against a registered person are being introduced:
1. where the Authority is satisfied that it would be contrary to the public interest for the person to be or remain registered [new section 30(1)(e) of the Act]; and
2. where a registered person has been convicted of an offence relating to using, manufacturing, trafficking or supplying drugs during the period of the person’s registration [new clause 21(d) of the Regulation].
- For the purposes of registration, the combatant must give the Authority a current certificate of fitness no later than 12 months after the date of the previous certificate, stating that in the medical practitioner’s opinion the combatant does not have any disqualifying conditions and is fit to engage in combat sports.
- A certificate of fitness is a current certificate of fitness if the certificate was signed by the medical practitioner not more than 28 days before the certificate is sought to be relied upon by the person (as prescribed in section 7A of the Act).
- A definition of “exhibition contest” is being included in section 4(1) of the Act as follows:
exhibition contest means a combat sport contest in which each combatant knowingly engages in the contest on the basis that:
a) there is no adjudication of the contest for the purposes of determining or declaring a winner, and
b) there is no intention of determining or declaring a winner of the contest.
- Under a condition imposed on all permits, the matchmaker for the combat sport contest must not be listed as a combatant on the fight card for the contest for which the matchmaker has acted as matchmaker [new clause 23(n1)].
- The Authority must refuse to register an applicant as a combatant of a specified registration class if it is not in the interests of the combatant’s health and safety; they are currently suspended, or in the Authority’s opinion, it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
- Clause 45 of the Regulation is being broadened to require all combatants (amateur and professional) to comply with the rules in relation to standard post-contest rest periods. There is a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units for non-compliance.
- Section 16 of the Act is being inserted to enable the Authority to determine guidelines for assessing applications from combatants to transition from professional to amateur for the same style of combat sport.
- A public register is being created and will contain:
- for each registered industry participant - their name, registration class(es) and registration expiry date.
- for each registered combatant - their name, registration number, registration class(es), ring name and “eligible to fight to” date (based on expiry of their registration, certificate of fitness and serological clearance).
Referee / Judge / Timekeeper
There are several reforms which will affect your registration when you apply for registration and during the period of your registration.
- Section 25(2) of the Act is being amended to require that an application for registration as an industry participant or promoter must be refused by the Authority if it is of the opinion that it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
- The conditions of your registration imposed by the Combat Sports Regulation 2014 will now be referred to as “standard conditions” of registration.
- Clause 19 of the Regulation is being amended to include two additional conditions being imposed on your registration as follows:
- For a matchmaker or promoter – the matchmaker or promoter must not act as matchmaker or promoter of any combat sports contest for which the matchmaker or promoter is a judge, referee or timekeeper.
- For a judge, referee or timekeeper – the judge, referee or timekeeper must not act as judge, referee or timekeeper at any contest for which the judge, referee or timekeeper is a matchmaker or promoter.
- Section 27(5) of the Act is being inserted to create a new offence where an industry participant does not comply with all conditions imposed on their registration – this offence will carry a maximum penalty for individuals of 50 penalty units or could be dealt with by penalty notice.
- Two additional grounds on which the Authority may take disciplinary action against a registered person are being introduced:
- where the Authority is satisfied that it would be contrary to the public interest for the person to be or remain registered [new section 30(1)(e) of the Act]; and
- where a registered person has been convicted of an offence relating to using, manufacturing, trafficking or supplying drugs during the period of the person’s registration (new clause 21(d) of the Regulation).
There are a number of reforms affecting your registration, at the application stage and during your period of registration.
- Section 25(2) of the Act is being amended to require that an application for registration as an industry participant or promoter must be refused by the Authority if it is of the opinion that it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
- The conditions of your registration imposed by the Combat Sports Regulation 2014 will now be referred to as “standard conditions” of registration.
- Clause 19 of the Regulation is being amended to include two additional conditions being imposed on your registration as follows:
- For a matchmaker or promoter – the matchmaker or promoter must not act as matchmaker or promoter of any combat sports contest for which the matchmaker or promoter is a judge, referee or timekeeper.
- For a judge, referee or timekeeper – the judge, referee or timekeeper must not act as judge, referee or timekeeper at any contest for which the judge, referee or timekeeper is a matchmaker or promoter.
Trainer / Second
There are reforms which will affect your registration when you apply for registration and during the period of your registration.
- An application for registration as an industry participant or promoter must be refused by the Authority if it is of the opinion that it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
- The Authority may determine guidelines for assessing applications from combatants to transition from professional to amateur for the same style of combat sport.
- The Authority must refuse to register an applicant as a combatant of a specified registration class if it is not in the interests of the combatant’s health and safety; they are currently suspended, or in the Authority’s opinion, it would be contrary to the public interest to grant the registration.
Three additional grounds on which the Authority may take disciplinary action against a registered person are being introduced:
- Where the Authority is satisfied that it would be contrary to the public interest for the person to be or remain registered.
- Where a combatant has not complied with all conditions imposed on the combatant’s registration.
- Where a registered person has been convicted of an offence relating to using, manufacturing, trafficking or supplying drugs during the period of the person’s registration.
There are several reforms relating to medical examinations and combatant health and safety.
- It is required that all combatants (both amateur and professional) comply with the rules in relation to standard post-contest rest periods. There is a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units for non-compliance.
- For the purposes of registration, the combatant must give the Authority a current certificate of fitness no later than 12 months after the date of the previous certificate, stating that in the medical practitioner’s opinion the combatant is fit to engage in combat sports.
- A certificate of fitness is a current certificate of fitness if the certificate was signed by the medical practitioner not more than 28 days before the certificate is sought to be relied upon by the person (as prescribed in section 7A of the Act).
- A definition of “exhibition contest” and “sparring” are being included in section 4(1) of the Act as follows:
exhibition contest means a combat sport contest in which each combatant knowingly engages in the contest on the basis that:
a) there is no adjudication of the contest for the purposes of determining or declaring a winner, and
b) there is no intention of determining or declaring a winner of the contest.
- sparring means a training or practice activity in a combat sport between 2 people in relation to which there is no adjudication for the purposes of determining or declaring, nor an intention of determining or declaring, a winner at the end of the activity.
- A public register is being created and will contain:
- for each registered industry participant - their name, registration class(es) and registration expiry date along.
- for each registered combatant - their name, registration number, registration class(es), ring name and “eligible to fight to” date (based on expiry of their registration, certificate of fitness and serological clearance).
Quick Links
Combat Sports Amendment Act 2024
If you have further questions regarding these reforms, please email combatsports@sport.nsw.gov.au