Boxing = Brain Damage

I am in awe of the ability of a governing group of brain-damaging promoters to dupe our society.

I am appalled at the silence of our medical fraternity.

I am appalled by the media silence and its collusion.                               

I am appalled by ACC's silence.

I am appalled by the failure of health and safety to push to legislate the outlawing of deliberate brain damage through boxing.

I am appalled by head injury and the ongoing consequences.

Deliberate attempts to brain-damage by an aimed impact — so as to render one’s opponent (foe, friend or colleague) unable to think clearly enough to defend themselves in the name of 'life' — is appalling.

It was outlawed for centuries because of its brutality, surfacing again in the 17th Century.

As medics we see the sequelae of head injury: the change in personality; the lessening of tolerance to loved ones and workmates; the lowering of capability in one’s profession; decreased cognition and mentation; epilepsy, parkinsonism and other motor disorders; mental illnesses; and sadly, the list goes on.

Society spends squillions on developing car crash technology to prevent head injury, and we are surrounded by health and safety. We are legislated to wear crash helmets to prevent head injury. We teach brain protection to our children and yet…

A single blow to the head can be negatively life-changing. We allow the most barbaric and damaging 'sport' (let’s avoid this term for this activity in the future) to grab a lifeline by promoting 'The Fight for Life'.

It’s a cunning plan, cloaked by charity!

There is no justification for inviting and subtly coercing role models in our society to smack, bash, beat, and brutalise each other. I would expect role models to decline, with no regret, to box (after all, it is the brain box they are targeting) another person.

The subliminal, let alone the open glorification of the brain-bashing message to the perpetrators of street and family violence is beyond belief. It is, by definition, a violent activity.

Take a minute and think about what you are supporting here. You are being hijacked by a blood sport; you are being bullied and haven't the guts to say NO.

I am not a wuss; I am a GP with a message to other medics: get off the viewing platform, fight for life, and openly and loudly say NO.