Stricter Safety Regulations for High-risk Sports
Ministry of Culture, Community and YouthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Er Dr Lee Bee Wah’s inquiry into whether mixed martial arts should face stricter safety regulations and if high-risk sports events should fall under the mandatory purview of Sport Singapore. Minister Grace Fu Hai Yien replied that while sports associations usually define safety protocols, private commercial promoters for mixed martial arts often operate with less regulatory oversight. She highlighted that Sport Singapore provides safety reviews recommending risk management plans and trained medical personnel for events deemed high-risk. The Minister also emphasized the importance of personal responsibility, stating that participants must take safety precautions and refrain from competing if unwell. Ultimately, Sport Singapore intends to improve safety through public education and increased awareness rather than mandatory institutional purview over all events.
Transcript
25 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether mixed martial arts can be subjected to stricter safety regulations; and (b) whether it can be made mandatory for public sports events, particularly those of high-risk sports, to come under the purview of Sport Singapore.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: For the vast majority of sports, the respective International Federations and National Sports Associations in Singapore determine the rules and safety protocols to ensure the safety of participants in training and during competitions. Event organisers who conduct competitions under the ambit of these sport governing bodies can be held to account for neglecting safety measures.
However, mixed martial arts contests tend to be organised as part of commercial entertainment events owned by private promoters, where the sanction that the sports governing bodies can effectively bring to bear is curtailed.
To guide sports stakeholders on safety, the Sports Safety Committee established by Sport Singapore (SportSG) periodically reviews and publishes the Overview and Recommendations for Sports Safety in Singapore, with the aim of establishing a comprehensive approach to minimising sports safety incidents, in line with international best practices. The last review was completed in 2015.
The Committee recommended that sports event organisers safeguard the well-being of their participants by minimally implementing a comprehensive risk management plan, conducting pre-event evaluation for participants, and deploying properly-trained medical personnel. Organisers of events deemed to be high-risk are advised to standby additional medical resources. Participants also need to exercise personal responsibility by taking safety precautions, being well-prepared when participating in sports activities, and refrain from participating if they feel unwell on the day of an event.
SportSG will continue to work with sports stakeholders to strengthen public education and raise awareness of the importance of safety at sports events to make sports safer for all.