THE UNIVERSITY W DAILY HANSEN
THURSDAY FEBRIARY 5, 2000
SPORTS
5B
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MMA leaders in DC to combat regulations
Tite Ortiz bottom, attaches a triangle hook on Lvoto Machida during their Ultimate Fighting Championship Light Heavyweight match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 24, 2008.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON - Ultimate Fighting Championship has come to Washington to engage in the city's ultimate sport: lobbying.
The biggest name in mixed martial arts, UFC is a multimil-
ness that fills arenas, broadcasts events on pay-per-view and has deals with cable networks such as Spike TV. The sport, which combines刃juitsu, juido, karate, boxing, kickboxing
"Back then, it was no holds barred, marketed as two men walk in one man walks out."
and wrestling, has put off some critics with its ferocity, including such tactics as kicks to the head
vince Congress that the sport has cleaned up its act since the 1990s, when it drew the opposition of Sen. John McCain R-Ariz. He once referred to it as "human cockfighting" and called for it to be banned.
"Back then, it was no holds
MAKAN DELRAHIM UFC lobbyist
The sport's owners are concerned that it could come under federal regulation by a proposed new commission to regulate boxing that two senior lawmakers are pushing. To help head that off, the Las Vegas-based UFC spent $240,000 last year lobbying Congress.
It's biggest task, said lobbyist Makan Delhram is to con-
it, it was no holds barred, marketed as two men walk in, one man walks out," said Delrahim, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the Bush administration. Now, he said, it's a mainstream sport that is sanctioned and regulated by athletic commissions.
37 states. Delrahim said his clients don't care whether boxing is regulated, as long as their sport isn't included.
McCain, who is sponsoring the boxing legislation in the Senate, declined to be interviewed. In a statement, he said the bill would "better protect professional boxing from the fraud, corruption and ineffective regulation that have plagued the sport for far too many years and that have devastated physically and financially
many of our nation's professional boxers."
The bill's House sponsor is Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who often spars in the boxing ring. He said there was no intent to cover mixed martial arts when the bill was drafted, and he didn't think the legislation would apply to it. He said hed prefer to keep the bill focused on boxing, because adding mixed martial arts might complicate chances for passage.
The proposed legislation would establish a U.S. Boxing Commission under the Commerce Department, charged with protecting the health, safety and general interests of boxers. The commission would oversee all professional boxing matches and license boxers, promoters, managers and sanctioning organizations.
McCain and King have pushed the legislation for years and came close to success in 2004, when it passed the Senate but not the House.
In 2005, the Justice Department sent a letter to the Senate Commerce Committee, expressing "serious constitutional objections to several provisions of the bill," such as one that would limit the president's authority to remove members of the boxing commission. That letter was signed by William Moschella, an assistant attorney general; Moschella has since left the government and is now part of UFC's lobbying team.
Congress has taken steps in the past to help boxers. In 1996, it established minimum health and safety standards for professional
"Those federations are always promising to do it next week. I'm still waiting."
PETER KING U.S. Representative
boxing, which were expanded by the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000. In 2004, Ali testified in favor of McCain's bill; his testimony was read by his wife, Lonnie Ali, because Ali suffers from Parkinson's disease.
King said the legislation is needed to protect boxers.
going from state to state, getting brain damage. So we have to have coordinated rules. There has to be national standards set. There should be the ability to penalize athletic commissioners that don't comply."
The boxing industry is fighting back.
"Our position is that the federal government, especially in times like we're having right now with a trillion-dollar deficit, doesn't need to create a new federal agency to regulate a sport," said Noah Reandeau, who Iobbies against the bill on behalf of both the International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Federation. He said the IBF has taken a leading role to establish uniform standards in the states.
Reandeau said that his clients would support a more Limited boxing bill, aimed at requiring states to have minimum standards before professional boxing matches could be held.
King wasn't buying that. "I've been a boxing fan for almost 60 years," he said. "Those federations are always promising to do it next week. I'm still waiting."
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Beckham wants to stay with AC Milan
ASSOCIATED PRESS
GLASGOW, Scotland — David Beckham wants to leave the Los Angeles Gala cy and stay with AC Milan after his loan to the Italian club is scheduled to end March 8.
The 33-year-old English midfielder announced his intentions Wednesday after playing in Milan's 2-2 exhibition tie at Glasgow Rangers. Beckham has scored twice for Milan and been included in the team's 25-man roster for UEFA Cup games against Werder Bremen on Feb. 18 and 26.
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"At the moment my lawyers are not talking to the Galaxy," Beckham said. "But I have expressed my desire to stay at AC Milan now, and it's just down to Milan and Galaxy to come to an agreement."
"I have enjoyed my time here," he added. "I knew I would enjoy it but I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I have and do as well as I have."
"At this point it's out of my hands," the 33-year-old star said. "I've said what my feelings are to both clubs."
Beckham is about two years into a $32.5 million, five-year contract with Major League Soccer. The Galaxy had no immediate comment.
Since coming to Italy, Beckham has scored twice and helped to lift Milan to second place in the Series A standings.
Beckham needs one appearance to tie defender Bobby Moore at 108 for the second-most international games in English history, trailing only goalkeeper Peter Shilton's 125, and wants to play for England at next year's World Cup in South Africa.
"To be given the chance again to play at this level at my age is pretty incredible and I've enjoyed it so much I would like to continue it," he said. "I think people have seen the way I've been since playing at this level again."
"It's nothing against the MLS and the football over there because it's a game that will grow, but it will take quite a few years," he added. "I'm still confident that will happen eventually, but I want to have a chance of being involved in 2010 and I believe my best chance of doing so is to remain here."
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