CSAC passes on extreme dehydration, IVs
Today the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) passed emergency rules to take a big step in fixing the issues surrounding extreme weight cutting in combat sports.
Today the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) passed emergency rules to take a big step in fixing the issues surrounding extreme weight cutting in combat sports:
The California State Athletic Commission’s war on dehydration and extreme weight cutting continued Tuesday.
CSAC passed a package of new, emergency regulations regarding weight cutting at its meeting in Downtown LA. The new rules include a ban on severe dehydration to make weight, the prohibition of IVs to rehydrate and the ability to move back the time of weigh-ins.
“Dehydration and weight cutting are the biggest problem facing mixed martial arts today,” CSAC executive officer Andy Foster told the commissioners. “There are more mixed martial events in California than any other state, so this is the biggest problem facing this commission.”
These rules can go into effect as early as March 1. Because these were emergency rules, they were added on a trial basis and will be revisited by the commission at a later date.
Multiple doctors involved in combat sports have pointed at dehydration to make weight followed by rapid rehydration as increasing the chances of concussions, traumatic brain injury, as well as susceptibility to knockouts and poor performance. Studies have shown a significant number of fighters enter a contest while dehydrated.
Perhaps the strongest language in the new CSAC rules is the outright banning of severe dehydration to make weight, which is a practice common in MMA and amateur wrestling. While it was merely suggestion before, CSAC will now require doctors to test for signs of dehydration in pre-fight physicals and make it part of the physician’s pre-fight questionnaire.