Permits and Contests

Contests, including weigh-ins, must be held in accordance with all Orders made under the Public Health Act 2010 (the Public Health Orders). Promoters, combatants, industry participants and venue operators are required to comply with the Public Health Orders in place at the time of a contest or when training and sparring. 

While the Authority does not enforce or regulate the Public Health Act 2010 it encourages promoters to work with venue operators to ensure contests are held in accordance with Public Health Orders. Promoters should ensure combatants placed on a fight card, and industry participants attending the contest, satisfy the requirements of the Public Health Orders, including any relating to vaccination requirements, so that contests run safely and smoothly.

The Authority will continue to impose a condition on contest permits that a copy of each COVID-19 safety plan developed in regard to, or in connection with, a contest must be submitted to the Office of Sport no later than (5) five days before the contest.  This condition is imposed to assist the Office of Sport determine the allocation of combat sport inspectors for the contest. 

Advice for the sport and recreation sector developed by the Office of Sport that outlines current Public Health Order restrictions for sport and exercise activities is available through the COVID-19 Information Quick Link on the Authority website.

Additional information is available at the NSW Government COVID-19 website.

Amateur bodies approved under the Act (an AAB) appoint and monitor the performance of referees, judges and timekeepers (ring officials) to amateur contests in accordance with cl. 47 of the Combat Sports Regulation 2014.

The Combat Sports Authority of NSW appoints ring officials to professional combat sport contests held in NSW. A range of factors are considered when appointing ring officials to professional contests to ensure it occurs fairly and assists officials to maintain their skills and experience. These factors include:

• whether the ring official holds the appropriate registration class and level of experience for contests on the fight card
• the availability of ring officials
• the number of contests for which the ring official has been appointed in the calendar year
• the location of the contest, distance to be travelled and cost to the promoter
• whether suitably registered ring officials have already been appointed to a contest (Pro/Am) by an AAB and that they are appropriately experienced to officiate professional contests on the fight card
• the number and level of contests on the fight card
• whether a contest has been deemed a significant contest for the purposes of the Act.

Appointments often cannot be formally made until the contest permit is granted and the final fight card lodged by the promoter. To assist ring officials, the Combat Sports team will wherever possible make tentative offers two weeks before a contest.

An overseas ring official (a person not ordinarily resident in Australia) may be appointed to a contest deemed to be a ‘significant contest’ by the Authority.

A combat sport contest determined by order of the Authority and published on the Authority website as being a significant contest for the purposes of s.62 of the Combat Sports Act 2013. The Authority will consider requests from promoters and make orders on a case by case basis after considering the type, level and public interest in the contest.

As outlined in Authority Rule 6, the promoter must make payment of the fees as outlined in the fee schedule (below) to all ring officials appointed to professional contests prior to the commencement of the first professional contest. The promoter must, where applicable, provide transport for officials to and from the airport and provide any meals reasonable required during the ring official’s stay in addition to the fees applicable in the fee schedule.

Standard promotion

Promotion including a State, National or Regional Title contest

Promotion including a Commonwealth Title contest

Promotion including International Combatants (Non-Title contests)

Promotions including an official World Title Elimination contest

Promotions including a World Title contest

Travel fees (To/From Sydney - Flat rate)

Distance based travel fees (in excess of 320 km total)

The dress standards applicable to registered industry participants attending a combat sport contest are described in Authority Rule 24. The Authority Rules are available here.

No distinguishing badges, pockets, names, logos, trademarks, distinctive signs etc of any kind is to be worn by a referee, judge or timekeeper except where prior approval of the Authority has been granted.  Requests for approval must be made via combatsports@sport.nsw.gov.au. The Authority will consider requests on a case by case basis to determine whether the request, if approved, would conflict with the objects of the Combat Sports Act 2013 or Government policy, create a conflict of interest or affect the impartiality of ring officials.  Other considerations will also be considered on a case by case basis.  Requests must include a colour image of the badge, pocket, name, logo, trademark, distinctive sign etc and the size as it will appear on the clothing.

The Authority checks and approves combatants on the fight card lodged by the promoter for the purposes of clause 23(b) of the Combat Sports Regulation 2014 (Regulation) after confirming the combatant is appropriately registered under the Combat Sports Act 2013 (Act) and has provided the Authority a current serological clearance and certificates of fitness, or satisfies an exemption provision.

It is the role of the matchmaker to match the combatants and the attending medical practitioner to determine if they are fit to engage in the contest after conducting a pre-contest medical examination. As outlined in clause 47(c) of the Regulation, the approved amateur body for the contest must also implement its risk management policies and procedures in relation to the contest.

It is not the role of the Authority to give any special or additional permission for contests to occur once it has approved the combatants on the finalised fight card.