CANBERRA: The Australian Medical Association (AMA) recently called on organizers of the Commonwealth Games to ban boxing asserting that it invariably caused brain damage.

The association’s national vice President Mr Michael Jones told Reporters here that the AMA would intensify its campaign to get public backing for a complete ban on boxing.

The AMA’s federal council is to consider a recommendation in the next few days for asking doctors to refuse to attend boxing matches as medical officers and spectators.

On the other hand the secretary of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) Mr Arthur Tunstall replied that it would be ridiculous to try to ban boxing from the Commonwealth Games.

A vote of the general assembly would be required to change the program before the next Commonwealth Games to be held in Victoria Canada in 1994 he said

The capital of South Australia Adelaide is bidding to stage the Games in 1998.

Dr Jones denied that boxing could be made safe. All boxers because of the blows they receive on the head are liable to brain damaged he said.

Protective headgear could not prevent damage as blows even to headgear also jostled the brain he added.

The director of the Australian Brain Foundation Mr Ray New comer said boxers typically suffered bruising and bleeding in the brain dementia and cerebral atrophy and that the brain could not recover from injury in the way Limbs could

Every concussive blow has an effect on the brain Repeated blows add to the damage he said Dr New comer said a recent study had shown 80% of the boxers suffered damage to their balance mechanisms.

Some boxers could suffer symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s disease long after they stopped fighting.

In boxing the aim of the game is to cause brain damage Dr Jones said.

The more you injure the brain the better you’re doing he said

Mr. Tunstall who is also secretary of the Amateur Boxing Union of Australia said there were very few knockouts in amateur boxing today because the rules are so strict.

There had been no serious injuries in more than 70 years of amateur boxing contests in the Olympics Commonwealth and international youth competitions he added.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 7, 1991