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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72810</law_id><section_number>54.1-828</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Professions and Occupations Regulated by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and Boards Within the Department</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="8.1">Boxing and Wrestling Events</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Amateur</span>&#x201D; means an individual who has never participated in a <span class="dictionary">boxing</span>, martial arts, or <span class="dictionary">professional wrestling</span> <span class="dictionary">event</span> for money, compensation, or reward other than a suitably inscribed memento.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Boxer</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> competing in the sport of <span class="dictionary">boxing</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Boxing</span>&#x201D; means the contact sport of attack or defense using fists.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Cable television system</span>&#x201D; means any facility consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated equipment designed to provide video programming to multiple subscribers when subscriber interaction is required to select a specific video program for an access fee established by the <span class="dictionary">cable television system</span> for that specific video program.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Contractor</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who has been recognized by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span>, through a <span class="dictionary">contract</span> pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Director authorized to contract for certain services; award of contract; authority when no contract is in effect" href="/54.1-832/">54.1-832</a>, as an appropriate responsible <span class="dictionary">party</span> to provide services to assist the Commonwealth in complying with the provisions of this chapter.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Department</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Professional and Occupational Regulation or its successor.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Director</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Event</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">boxing</span>, martial arts, or <span class="dictionary">professional wrestling</span> show that includes one or more bouts, contests, or matches.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Exhibition bout</span>&#x201D; means a bout that is part of any martial arts or professional <span class="dictionary">boxing</span> <span class="dictionary">event</span> in which <span class="dictionary">boxers</span> or <span class="dictionary">martial artists</span> show or display skills without a declared winner.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Manager</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who serves as a representative or agent of a <span class="dictionary">boxer</span>, <span class="dictionary">martial artist</span>, or <span class="dictionary">professional wrestler</span> to arrange for his participation in an <span class="dictionary">event</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Martial artist</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> competing in the sport of martial arts.
		&#x201C;Martial arts&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">mixed martial arts</span>&#x201D; means any of several Asian arts of combat or self-defense, alone or in combination, including aikido, karate, judo, muay thai, or tae kwon do, usually practiced as sport and which may involve the use of striking weapons.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Matchmaker</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who proposes, selects, arranges for, or in any manner procures specific individuals to be contestants in an <span class="dictionary">event</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Person</span>&#x201D; means a natural <span class="dictionary">person</span>, corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, or any other entity.
		&#x201C;Professional&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> who participates or has ever participated for money, compensation, or reward other than a suitably inscribed memento in any <span class="dictionary">boxing</span>, martial arts, or <span class="dictionary">professional wrestling</span> <span class="dictionary">event</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Professional wrestler</span>&#x201D; means any professional participating in <span class="dictionary">professional wrestling</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Professional wrestling</span>&#x201D; means an <span class="dictionary">event</span> in which contestants incorporate the sport of wrestling into choreographed performances.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Promote</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">promotion</span>&#x201D; means to organize, arrange, publicize, or conduct an <span class="dictionary">event</span> or <span class="dictionary">exhibition bout</span> in the Commonwealth.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Promoter</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who undertakes to <span class="dictionary">promote</span> an <span class="dictionary">event</span> or <span class="dictionary">exhibition bout</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Regulant</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">person</span> required by this chapter to obtain a prior authorization from the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sanctioning organization</span>&#x201D; means an entity approved by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Sanctioning organization; amateur martial arts events" href="/54.1-829.1/">54.1-829.1</a>.
		&#x201C;Trainer,&#x201D; &#x201C;second,&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">cut man</span>&#x201D; means an individual who undertakes to assure the well-being of a <span class="dictionary">boxer</span> or <span class="dictionary">martial artist</span> by providing instruction or advice concerning techniques or strategies of <span class="dictionary">boxing</span> or martial arts, and who may work in the corner with a <span class="dictionary">boxer</span> or <span class="dictionary">martial artist</span> between the rounds of a match to assure his well-being and provide necessary equipment and advice concerning match participation.
		&#x201C;Wrestler&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">person</span> competing or participating as an opponent in wrestling.
		&#x201C;Wrestling&#x201D; means any of several styles of physical competition in which individuals attempt to subdue or unbalance an opponent, including Greco-Roman, freestyle, grappling, or submission, usually practiced as a sport.</p></section></text><history>1998, c. 895; 2005, c. 287; 2015, cc. 216, 264; 2016, c. 756; 2025, cc. 95, 111.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
