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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest&nbsp; 85555" data-source="post: 9440323">I think in the US we are still pretty tolerant of these sports, but it probably varies a lot by state (the rules for amateur competition often vary by state as well). Every once in a while something bad happens in boxing that gives me a sour feeling in my stomach for a bit. It is easy to forget how dangers combat sports can be. But I hope they don't get banned or become relics of teh past. Or get so changed they lose their essence. Changing rules for safety can be useful (for example setting the ideal number of rounds in boxing is a good thing). But introducing something like the sensors they have in TKD, that radically altered how the sport functions. It definitely made it safer, but it also made it much more boring than previous eras. And the rules in karate at the Japanese olympics, which I think prohibited knocking out your opponent or hitting them hard int he head*, resulted in a competitor being knocked out but still winning the match (which is just backwards, and shouldn't happen in a combat sport) I love full contact combat sports. I like watching them, I trained in them growing up. I do understand the damage they do, I don't think everyone and his uncle should be involved in them. They certainly aren't for every person, and parents should be wary of putting their kids into them. I have cognitive issues from it myself, and I know people who have long term effects from it. When I was doing it, we knew much more than they did a couple decades before but we still didn't know what is known now (we would take someone out of sparring for example for several weeks after a knockout, but we were less aware of people walking around with minor concussions all the time). But the sports are adapting. There is a move towards not doing hard sparring all the time (and this is gaining traction because it is actually effective and it's how Muay Thai fighters train in thailand). When I did it, it was hard sparring every single time (and in boxing around here it still is). Ultimately these are dangerous sports. They aren't for everyone but I have seen first hand how Olympic style boxing for example, can make a difference for young people who might otherwise think their only option is joining a gang. And there is a beauty and grace to boxing that I think is worth preserving. What I do think is important is that people getting into these sports understand fully the risks, and the idea that you can escape head injury or brain damage is not very realistic if you are getting hit in the head regularly. They also need to uniformly change how weigh ins are done in all combat sports so you don't end up with so many mismatched fights and you don't have fighters killing their body in the lead up to a fight to cut weight.You have to keep in mind people are baked differently. I loved these sports enough that I was okay with the risk. And if you have ever sparred or competed you can understand how thrilling that is. That is not for everyone. Some people need it though. Skiing is also incredibly dangerous, but we don't ban that. Part of what makes the olympics the olympics is athletes are putting their bodies on the line*I don't really know much about karate competition rules systems</blockquote>

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