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Red Tape Reduction K-O’s Unneeded Boxing/Wrestling Regulations

WDRB

Thanks to Governor Matt Bevin’s Red Tape Reduction Initiative, several unnecessary boxing and wrestling regulations have been “knocked out.” As a result, Kentucky could soon pin down several major events in the combat sports arena, including World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) matches, and boxing and mixed martial arts events.

Recommendations from the new Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Commission created by Gov. Bevin earlier this year have been approved. Those recommendations eliminated or amended certain regulations that had restricted the growth of such sporting events. The changes will ultimately allow a bigger market for both the local and national promotion of live combat sports and wrestling events like WWE. This will have a tremendous impact across Kentucky, especially for local event entrepreneurs. 

”Kentucky is home to phenomenal venues for these live sporting events and there is no reason to believe that we’re not capable of hosting events on a world-class stage and in a safe manner,” said Boxing and Wrestling Commissioner Chad Miller. “The regulations are all about economic opportunity for promoters and contestants across the Commonwealth, whether large or small, and advancing fighter health and safety.”

The number of pertinent regulations has been reduced from 18 to 13 and signals to promoters everywhere that Kentucky is once again open for business. These changes highlight work that was started in April with the formation of the new Boxing and Wrestling Commission, which was charged with the task of reducing stifling regulations while continuing to emphasize the safety standards for health and wellness of event contestants.

“Our cabinet has received great interest from sports promoters who want to bring boxing, wrestling, and mixed martial arts events to Kentucky,” said Public Protection Cabinet Secretary David Dickerson. “The continued safety of our athletes remain a top priority, but these changes are necessary to bring in more national matches to the state that will have a positive economic impact for communities in the Commonwealth.”

To date, some 300 administrative regulations have been either repealed or targeted for repeal, and another 521 have been amended or amendments are planned. A list of administrative regulations that have already been repealed or amended is available at www.RedTapeReduction.com, and any person who wishes a regulation to be repealed or changed can go to the site and make a request.

The Red Tape Reduction Initiative is an effort to make Kentucky a more business-friendly state by eliminating unnecessary, burdensome or duplicative regulations by reviewing each of the 4,700-plus state administrative regulations and evaluating for purpose, need and intent. The long-term goal is to eliminate as many as one-third of the administrative regulations currently on the books.

The list of administrative regulations repealed to date is available at www.RedTapeReduction.com.

(story provided by the Kentucky Governor's Office)

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