Boxing Should Be Banned

in Civilized Countries

The principal purpose of a boxing match is for one opponent

to render the other injured, defenseless, incapacitated, unconscious. No caring person could have observed the events in
professional prizefighting in the past few months and not have
been revolted. No prudent physician could have watched the
most recent debacle/mismatch on Nov 26, 1982, between Larry
Holmes and Randall "Tex" Cobb and believe that the current
boxing control system is functioning. The fact that this
massacre came on the immediate heels of even more tragic
fights serves to accentuate the uncontrolled situation.
The American Medical Association recognized this problem
some time ago, and its Council on Scientific Affairs commissioned a panel to study the problem and to make recommendations. The report, presented on page 254 in this issue, is the
official AMA position. It is solid, balanced, and reasonable. It
operates with the assumption that boxing cannot be stopped,
so it recommends ways in which it should be controlled better.
To continue its interest in the safety and medical care of
boxers, the AMA is cosponsoring a conference with the
Association of Ringside Physicians, on "Medical Aspects of
Boxing" at Caesar's Palace Hotel in Las Vegas on Feb 18, 1983.
Eleven faculty members will discuss the duties and responsibil
ities of the ring physician, emergency medical procedures in the
management of the severely injured boxer, and several other

important topics.

Since the Council report was approved by the House of

Delegates in 1982, two other major studies have appeared.
Kaste et al,' writing in a recent issue of The Lancet, studied 14
boxers who had been national champions in Finland and who
had been carefully screened and found not to have other
known reasons for brain atrophy. They report computed
tomographic (CT) evidence of brain injury in four of six

professional and one of eight amateur boxers. Also, two of the

professionals and eight of the amateurs had EEG abnormalities

that may have been caused by brain injury. Kaste and

colleagues state, "The most predictable and permanent reward
is chronic brain damage," and "The only way to prevent
brain injuries is to disqualify blows to the head." Appearing on
page 211 of this issue, Ross et al report a study of 38 boxers
with CT scans, 24 of whom had a complete neurological
examination and EEG as well. They report a significant
relationship between the number of bouts fought and brain
damage detected by CT scan and demonstrate no significant
relationship with neurological symptoms or findings or number
of knockouts or technical knockouts. This is additional strong
evidence of chronic brain damage with cerebral atrophy in
...

many

fighters.

Some have argued that boxing has a redeeming social value

in that it allows a few disadvantaged or minority individuals an
opportunity to rise to spectacular wealth and fame. This does
occur, but at what price? The price in this country includes
chronic brain damage for them and the thousands of others
who do not achieve wealth, fame, or even a decent living from

ring. Others argue that man must fight and that

surreptitious fights will occur if boxing is outlawed, producing
an even worse situation. I suggest that such is equivalent to
arguing that gunfighter duels should be instituted, tickets sold,
and betting promoted since, after all, homicide by gunshot is
also common in our society.
This editor believes personally that boxing is wrong at its
base. In contrast to boxing, in all other recognized sport, injury
is an undesired by-product of the activity. Boxing seems to me
to be less sport than is cockfighting; boxing is an obscenity.
Uncivilized man may have been bloodthirsty. Boxing, as a
throwback to uncivilized man, should not be sanctioned by any
civilized society.

the

George D. Lundberg, MD
M, Vilkki J, Sainio K, et al: Is chronic brain damage in boxing a
hazard of the past? Lancet 1982;2:1186-1188.
1. Kaste

The

Deadly Degrading Sport

How strange that, in this climate of preoccupation with health

and physical fitness and with near-hysterical concern for every
conceivable deleterious factor in the environment, so few raise
their voices against boxing. How strange, when strident voices
urge equality for all and promote and make capital of support
for equal rights, that poor and minority youth are recruited and
rewarded for sacrificing themselves to a spectacle for the more
favored of whatever ethnic or fiscal group.
What factors contribute to this continued public spectacle of
brutality, and the literal sacrifice of minority youth for the
profit and delectation of self-styled sportsmen?
In fairness to the boxing game and its proponents, let us
review the widely shared ignorance about the effects of trauma
on the brain and the implications of being knocked unconscious.
Head injury from falls and blows is a common incident in
the animated cartoons of children's shows. The hero or villain,
whether animal or human, is often momentarily stopped in his
action by a blow to the headthe circumstances are
entertaining, and the victim quickly recovers and is as fast and
effective as before. This may happen repeatedly to the same
character with no harmful effect. Children can grow up with
the belief that head injury is amusing, recoverable, and of little
consequence. Novels and television shows bludgeon their
private eyes, heroes, and villains with never a suggestion of

Address editorial communications to the Editor, 535 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610.

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