                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SANCTIONING ORGANIZATION; AMATEUR MARTIAL ARTS EVENTS (§ 54.1-829.1)

A. No event in which amateur participants compete in martial arts shall be
authorized in the Commonwealth unless the amateur event is conducted by a
sanctioning organization approved by the Director. Only the results of amateur
events conducted by a sanctioning organization in good standing and in
compliance with this section shall be recognized for purposes of reporting bout
results to a national database or official registry. Every sanctioning
organization, insofar as practicable, shall observe and apply the unified rules
adopted by the Association of Boxing Commissions. Notwithstanding any other
provision of law or regulation, for purposes of amateur martial arts events,
weight classes and bout rules governing round length, judging, and scoring shall
conform with the Association of Boxing Commissions unified rules.

B. No amateur martial artist shall compete in an event who has:

   1. Not attained the age of 18 years;

   2. Been knocked out in the 60 days immediately preceding the date of the
   event;

   3. Been technically knocked out in the 30 days preceding the date of the
   event;

   4. Been a contestant in an event consisting of (i) more than six rounds during
   the 15 days preceding the date of the event or (ii) six or fewer rounds during
   the seven days preceding the event;

   5. Suffered a cerebral hemorrhage or other serious physical injury;

   6. Been found to be blind or vision impaired in one or both eyes;

   7. Been denied a license or approval to compete by another jurisdiction for
   medical reasons;

   8. Failed to provide negative test results, dated within 180 days preceding
   the date of the event, for the following: (i) antibodies to the human
   immunodeficiency virus; (ii) hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg); and (iii)
   antibodies to the hepatitis C virus; or

   9. Failed to provide written certification from a licensed physician, dated
   within 180 days preceding the date of the event, attesting to the
   contestant&#8217;s good physical health and absence of any preexisting
   conditions or observed abnormalities that would prevent participation in the
   event. The examination performed by the ringside physician at the event
   pursuant to clause (ii) of subdivision C 3 shall not satisfy this requirement.

C. For each amateur martial arts event, the sanctioning organization shall:

   1. Review the records, experience, and consecutive losses for each amateur
   martial artist prior to each event to determine, to the extent possible, that
   contestants scheduled to compete are substantially equal in skills and
   ability;

   2. Verify that each amateur martial artist scheduled to compete is covered by
   health insurance;

   3. Appoint a physician who has held a license to practice medicine for at
   least three years in any jurisdiction of the United States and who is
   currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth to remain at
   ringside on a continuous basis. Duties of the ringside physician shall include
   (i) conducting a physical examination of each referee immediately prior to the
   event to assure his fitness to act in such capacity, (ii) conducting a
   physical examination and taking a medical history of each amateur martial
   artist prior to the contestant&#8217;s entering the ring and certifying the
   contestant&#8217;s physical condition, (iii) signaling the referee immediately
   in the event that an injury is observed, (iv) rendering immediate medical aid
   to any amateur martial artist injured during an event, and (v) ensuring that
   all substances in the possession of seconds, trainers, or cut men are
   appropriate for use on amateur martial artists during the course of the event;

   4. Assign a sufficient number of qualified officials, including locker room
   inspectors, judges, timekeepers, and referees, to protect the health and
   safety of amateur martial artists and the public. Duties of the referee shall
   include (i) providing prefight instructions to the contestants; (ii) ensuring
   that each amateur martial artist is wearing gloves supplied by the sanctioning
   organization or event promoter that are in new or good condition, weighing
   between four and six ounces; (iii) exercising supervision over the conduct of
   the bout and taking immediate corrective action when necessary; (iv)
   immediately stopping any bout when, in his judgment, one contestant is
   outclassed by the other, injured, or otherwise unable to continue safely; (v)
   striving to perform his duties in a manner that does not impede the fair
   participation of either contestant; (vi) consulting, when he deems
   appropriate, with the ringside physician on the advisability of stopping the
   bout if either contestant appears injured or unable to continue; (vii)
   counting for knockdowns and knockouts, determining fouls and stopping
   contests, and immediately stopping any bout if one or both contestants are not
   putting forth their best effort; and (viii) ensuring the health and well-being
   of the amateur martial artists to the greatest extent possible; and

   5. Require a fully equipped emergency medical services vehicle with a
   currently trained ambulance crew at the site of every amateur event for its
   entire duration.

D. Any sanctioning organization seeking approval under this section shall make a
written application on a form prescribed by the Director. The application shall
be accompanied by a fee of $500. The Director shall annually approve sanctioning
organizations whose applications satisfactorily demonstrate evidence of
standards and operations in place that are at least as rigorous as and limited
to those required by this section. Following an informal fact-finding proceeding
conducted pursuant to &#xA7; 2.2-4019, the Director may withdraw his approval of
any sanctioning organization that has failed to comply with this section based
on (i) the review of the annual report submitted by the sanctioning organization
or (ii) review of a complaint received pursuant to subdivision A 8 of &#xA7;
54.1-201 or &#xA7; 54.1-307.1.

E. A sanctioning organization seeking approval from the Director shall provide
documented evidence (i) of operation as a business for at least the immediately
preceding three years; (ii) of at least five years of experience as a
sanctioning organization representing at least two different promotions during
such five-year period or that the principal officers have at least eight years
of experience working as a referee or head official for an established
sanctioning organization without adverse financial or disciplinary action in any
jurisdiction; (iii) indicating that none of its officers, employees, or agents,
directly or indirectly, has any pecuniary interest in, or holds any position
with, any business associated with a promoter or otherwise operates for the sole
benefit of a single promoter; and (iv) of assurance that events will be
conducted in a fair and impartial manner with avoidance of any impropriety or
appearance of impropriety.

F. Each approved sanctioning organization shall submit an annual report to the
Director on or before February 1, with a summary of the events conducted for the
preceding calendar year. The Director may address any operational or compliance
issues with the sanctioning organization consistent with and in furtherance of
the objectives of this section. The Director shall not intervene in the internal
activities of a sanctioning organization except to the extent necessary to
prevent or cure violations of this section or any statute governing the persons
or activities regulated pursuant to this chapter.

G. The Commonwealth, the Director, the Department, and any employee or
representative shall be indemnified and held harmless from any liability
resulting from or caused by a sanctioning organization or persons conducting
activities on behalf of such regulant.

HISTORY: 2015, cc. 216, 264; 2016, c. 756; 2025, cc. 95, 111.