NSW: Boxing would not be banned in NSW Carr

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-2001
NSW: Boxing would not be banned in NSW Carr

SYDNEY, April 30 AAP - Boxing would not be banned in NSW although a review of laws
governing the sport could tighten controls, Premier Bob Carr said today.

Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge yesterday admitted he personally wanted
the sport banned and called on the states to tighten their boxing laws to improve safety.

The move followed the death of a Queensland boxer after a fight in Melbourne earlier
this month while a Perth woman was left in a coma after a bout in New Zealand last week.

Mr Wooldridge has written to the states asking them to do all they can to improve boxing
regulations, and proposed a conference to discuss safety in the sport.

Mr Carr said while boxing was an Olympic sport, it would be difficult to ban.

It was also unfair to ask governments to outlaw sports just because they were deemed
dangerous, he said.

"What do you want us to do? Ban everything that has got an element of risk?" asked Mr Carr.

"I tend to think that you've got to live with a world where people are going to do
dangerous things.

"We've got to accept that adults might make decisions to do things that carry a high
element of risk."

Mr Carr said NSW already had the toughest boxing laws in Australia.

Under state regulations, it is illegal for women or children aged under 14 to box.

"The regulations we've got around boxing in NSW are the tightest in Australia," Mr Carr said.

"We're reviewing the boxing and wrestling control act and that could result in further
controls but ... we are looking at a sport that is dangerous by definition."

AAP ls/rp/mg/bwl

KEYWORD: BOXING CARR

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