ABC Annual Conference, Day 1

Monday was the first full day of the 2011 Association of Boxing Commissions annual convention. The two days previous saw officials’ training by Mario Yamasaki, and internal business, and at 8:30 am five-time ABC President Tim Lueckenhoff kicked off the convention. He was followed by warm welcoming remarks by the Mayor of the District of Columibia Authority Vincent G. Gray, and Chairman of the DC City Council Kwame R. Brown.

A planned address by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D. Nevada) was delayed as the Senator was busy saving the financial status of the free world. It is hoped that Senator Reed will be able to speak to the membership before the close of the convention.

Monday’s agenda featured both open and closed sessions, and notably featured the election of new officers, detailed below.

ABC Secretary: Buddy Embanato, Vice Chairman of the Louisiana Boxing and Wrestling Commission

ABC Treasurer, Joe Miller, Executive Director of the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission

ABC 1st Vice President, Aaron Davis, Director of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board

ABC 2nd Vice President, Jim Erickson, Executive Director, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Boxing Commission

ABC President, Tim Lueckenhoff, Executive Director, Missouri Office of Athletics

In addition, the day included presentations on record and suspension keeping for boxing and for mixed martial arts. Ani Miramontes from FightFax was unexpectedly unable to make the convention, so details of records keeping for boxing from the previous year were provided by President Tim Lueckenhoff. A presentation on records and suspenion keeping for MMA was given by Kirik Jenness and Chris Palmquist. President Lueckenhoff later described the MMA record keeping as the single greatest accomplishment of his recent tenure.

Tuesday’s agenda is heavy on boxing, with two full sessions scheduled

Morning

Computerized Scoring Demonstration, (Mazzulli)

Non-Complaint Sanctioning Organizations (Erickson)

Contestants who fail Drug/Steroid Test, Policy for ABC on changing decision, (Miller)

What Constitutes a TKO or KO, (Dodd)

World Judges Report

Medical Insurance for Contestants fighting outside of the US, (Sirb)

Request a Test, Noelle Perez & Carolyn Solis

Conflicts of Interest, (Davis)

Afternoon

Paul Johnson, Boxer’s Organizing Committee

McCoy L Moretz, MD, FACS, New Hemorrhaging Solution

John Tafoya, GM & Founder, Competition Technology, (kickboxing database)

Maryland’s Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury (CTBI) Study, (Dr. Stiller)

Quick Neurological Exam for Referees to Access Boxers, (Dr Coletta)

ABC Uniform Procedures for Requesting Contestants’ Medicals, Progress Report, (Pannella)

Maryland’s Group Secondary Medical Insurance Policy for Constants, (Pannella)

Study of Medical Malpractice Insurance Coverage for Physicians, (John Gradowski)

Regulation of Professional Wrestling, Panel Discussion (Pannella, McCaffrey, Miller, Robertson,

Lueckenhoff)

Wednesay will be given on to mixed martial arts.

Morning

MMA Training Committee Report, Lembo

Muay Thai Unified Rules Committee, Lembo

Committee Report – Unified Amateur MMA Rules, Foster

Committee Report – MMA Scoring Committee, Mullen

Mandatory Requirement of MMA ID card, Miller

MEDLIC Medical Database, Jan Hubbard & Rebecca Johnson

ABC Medical Committee Report, Chairperson, Dr. Sheryl Wulkan, NJ

Discussion Policy on licensing of contestant’s with missing limb(s)

Discussion Medical Requirement for Contestants over age 36

Therapeutic Exemptions

Afternoon

Brent Stuchlik, True Sports Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd, (Cage Specifications)

Body Weight Study, (Reid)

Discussion of MMA Contestants who Compete in Non-Sanctioned Events, (Miller)