Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Background/aim Several changes have occurred in Olympic boxing (OB) in the last few decades, influencing the results in official competitions. The aim of this study was to assess how the evolution of rules changed the rate of the results that can influence boxers' health.
Methods From a web-research, the results of OB tournaments from 1952 to 2011 were reviewed (29 357 bouts). For each event, rate of knockout (KO), referee-stop contest (RSC), RSC-Head (RSCH), RSC-Injury (RSCI), RSC-Outclassed (RSCO), abandon, disqualification and points decisions were recorded. In our analysis we investigated the changes that occurred after the introduction of the standing-count rule (1964), mandatory head guard (1984), computerised scoring system (1992), RSCO (2000–2009) and modification of bout formula 3×3 min rounds (3×3, until 1997, 5×2 min rounds (5×2) until 1999, 4×2 min rounds (4×2) until 2008, 3×3 from 2009).
Results The most important results were: (1) an RSCI rate increase (0.72–2.42%, p<0.03) after the standing-count rule; (2) a lower RSCI (0.60%, p<0.001) and higher RSCH (1.31–4.92%, p<0.001) and RSC (9.71–13.05%, p<0.03) rate with mandatory head guard; (3) a KO rate reduction (6.44–2.09%, p<0.001) with the computerised scoring system; (4) an RSC (13.15–5.91%, p<0.05) and RSCH (4.23–1.41%, p<0.001) rate reduction comparing 5×2–4×2 bouts.
Conclusions In the last six decades, along with rule changes in OB, a clear reduction of health challenging results was observed. In the near future, older rules will be adopted (no head guard and a manual scoring system). Continued medical surveillance is important to ensure that new rule changes do not result in poor medical outcomes for the boxers.
Introduction
Boxing is an ancient sport; wall paintings from Ethiopia and ancient Egypt suggest that it is well over 4000 years old. Boxing was first introduced into the ancient Olympic Games in 688 BC. Boxing as we know it today developed in England in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1814, to regulate the sport, the London prize fight rules were introduced and, in 1867, the Queensbury rules were first published. The first amateur contests took place in 1860 and the amateur boxing Association started in London in 1880. Since this time the two codes have diverged: professional boxing (based in the tradition of prize fighting) has several sanctioning bodies which make the rules and a multitude of champions and belts, while amateur boxing is regulated only by the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA), an International Federation within the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC has sanctioned contests at Olympic Games since 1904 (St Louis). In the last century, several changes occurred in amateur boxing not only to increase the safety of the boxers, but also to meet audience and media expectations. The most important rule changes in the last few decades are shown in figure 1.
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Figure 1.
Major rule changes in amateur boxing from 1952 to 2011. In the upper part of the panel the bout length formula has been indicated. In the upper and lower parts are shown the different subgroups in which the boxing bouts were divided for the analysis. RSCO, referee stops contest outclassed.
Although international amateur boxing is a well-regulated sport practised in many countries worldwide, there are still concerns about safety and some medical organisations call for a ban on boxing. However, at this time there is no strong scientific evidence that amateur boxing is associated with serious health consequences and, in particular, with chronic traumatic brain injury. As a result, amateur boxing has been defined as a safe sport.
A surrogate measure of the acute consequences of boxing can be made from looking at the results of boxing contests, particularly those which were stopped before the scheduled rounds had been completed. A knockout (KO) is recorded if a boxer cannot continue within 10 s of a blow from an opponent. If the referee decides that the boxer is unable to defend himself adequately and is getting or may get injured, then a referee-stop contest (RSC) decision is taken. Where this occurs from a blow to the head, then a RSC head (RSCH) decision is recorded. If an injury occurs to a boxer (ie, a dangerous cut, a fracture, a dislocation, etc) then, together with the ringside doctor, the referee can stop the contest and the recorded decision is RSC injury (RSCI). Finally, from 2000 to 2009 the RSC outclassed (RSCO) decision was recorded when the points' gap between the two contenders was 20 points, suggesting that one athlete was outclassing the opponent.
The aim of this study was to assess how the evolution of rules in modern Olympic boxing has influenced, and continues to influence, the prevalence of one result over another paying particular attention to decisions that can influence boxers' safety and health. To test this hypothesis the results of official amateur boxing tournaments held in the last 59 years were reviewed.