War between promoters triggered police crackdown on amateur combat: promoter
MONTREAL — A tit-for-tat battle among promoters has triggered a Montreal police crackdown on all amateur tournaments related to kick-boxing, MMA, jiu-jitsu and muay thai, say people connected with the city’s fighting community.
Organizers of a Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament scheduled for last Sunday in Montreal were the latest victims of police enforcing a 2013 Criminal Code amendment outlawing “prizefighting.”
Tournament spokesman Danny Vu told The Canadian Press on Tuesday that police informed organizers they are banning all amateur competitions of combat sports not included in the program of the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee.
Judo and tae kwon do are allowed, while kick-boxing and other amateur combat sports such as mixed martial arts and jiu-jitsu are now illegal.