Yeoh said all organisers of combat sports events must also comply with the regulations of their national governing bodies, Bernama reported.
She said the participation of exponents aged below 15 in combat sports, such as MMA (mixed martial arts), Muay Thai, kickboxing and boxing, is only allowed in official tournaments organised by a national sports association or state sports associations registered under the Sports Development Act 1997 (Act 576).
“Effective today, I have the authority under the Sports Development Act to ensure that sports events are run in an orderly and safe manner. Also, we have a safe sports code that must be adhered to.
“All these steps have been taken together with the sports commissioner to ensure that when we give a sanction, we will issue conditions to ensure the event is safe,” she told reporters at the ministry in Putrajaya today.
Yeoh said the sports commissioner will also be given the responsibility of reviewing the entire regulatory mechanism for sports events such as boxing, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA to ensure the safety and integrity of “unarmed combat” competitions.
The commissioner will also be responsible for the compilation of data related to injury rates and health incidents at such tournaments.
“These statistics will form the basis for the development of policies and guidelines that will be detailed later,” she said.
She said the measures reflect the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that combat sports are conducted safely, professionally, and ethically, and protects the welfare of exponents, especially children.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Muaythai Association president Shahnaz Azmi said they no longer allow child exponents to take part in professional events.
He said the main difference between the professional and amateur categories lies in the level of physical injury and the scoring system.
“Amateur bouts are based on points and skills, and they will wear protection, whereas in professional events, the exponent can fight until a KO (knockout). In amateur events, if it looks like the exponents cannot protect themselves, they need to stop,” he was quoted as saying.
Yeoh’s statement today is believed to be related to a recent controversy over the War Zone championship combat sports tournament.
On Sunday, her ministry said it had not sanctioned the event. It said any sports event, especially those involving international participation, must obtain approval from the sports commissioner.
The War Zone championship, scheduled to take place on Dec 6 and 7, drew public attention after several video clips of altercations between Malaysian and Indonesian fighters went viral, believed to be part of the event’s promotional strategy.
However, the move sparked criticism from the local combat sports community, who questioned the professionalism and safety of the event’s organisation as it included the involvement of children.