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To the New York State Athletic Commission,

I am the owner of one of the largest Kickboxing websites on the internet (Axkickboxing.com). It has recently come to my attention that Kickboxing events are now outlawed in the State of New York. I have been informed of a lot of details, one of which being that the remedy for this situation is to wait for another law to pass. That will take a long time. In the meantime, there are many Kickboxing fighters, promoters, and trainers who are being inappropriately driven out of business.

The problem that I have with this issue is that the interpretation of the law has evidently changed. The law has been in existance for quite some time, with many Kickboxing events being held in New York with no problems. Then, suddenly, the N.Y.S. Athletic Commision changes their interpretation of the law to disallow Kickboxing events. I do not understand how this could happen. If the law has not changed, then why did the interpretation change?

It appears that there is a list of approved organizations that are allowed to sanction events.

Some of these organizations are :

U.S. Judo Association
U.S. Judo, Inc.
U.S. Judo Federation
U.S. Tae Kwon Do Union
North American Sport Karate Association
U.S.A. Karate Foundation
U.S. Karate, Inc.
World Karate Association
Professional Karate Association
Karate International
International Kenpo Association
World Wide Kenpo Association

The following is the part of the law which states the requirements for adding additional organizations to the approved list.

"The commission is authorized to promulgate regulations which would establish a process to allow for the inclusion or removal of martial arts organizations from the above list. Such process shall include but not be limited to consideration of the following factors:
(a) is the organization`s primary purpose to provide instruction in self defense techniques;
(b) does the organization require the use of hand, feet and groin protection during any competition or bout; and
(c) does the organization have an established set of rules that require the immediate termination of any competition or bout when any participant has received severe punishment or is in danger of suffering serious physical injury."

It would be a much quicker method of coming to a resolve by allowing such Kickboxing organizations as :
ISKA - International Sport Kickboxing Association
USKBA - United States Kickboxing Association
IKF - International Kickboxing Federation

...to sanction events. I know these organizations would willingly work with you to discuss how they could be included on the "allowable" organization list.
Please tell me if this is possible. If it is not possible, please explain why.

I would also like to know how Boxing falls outside of the definition of "Combative sports".

I really wish to come to an understanding with these issues so I can help the gyms, figters and promoters to keep doing their business. They deserve that right.

Thank you for your time and patience in responding to my queries.

Brian Ritchie
Axkickboxing.com