“Alberta’s government takes athlete safety incredibly seriously and our thoughts are with Timothy Hague’s family, loved ones and community.
“Last fall, I received 14 recommendations that were set out in the Honourable Justice C.J. Sharpe’s report to the Minister of Justice regarding the public fatality inquiry into the death of Timothy Hague. Since then, we have been hard at work meeting with municipal combative sport commissions and related stakeholders to review these recommendations and determine how best to improve athlete safety in combative sport in our province.
“Currently, combative sports are sanctioned by municipal combative sport commissions. Justice Sharpe recommends the establishment of provincial oversight of combative sport events, with the province obtaining sole authority to sanction such events. Together with relevant ministries and Alberta’s combative sport partners, we’re exploring how the Government of Alberta can most effectively be involved in the promotion of best practices, reduction of unnecessary risks and the application of safety measures for combative sport events in our province.
“Many of the other recommendations in Justice Sharpe’s report, including standardizing suspension periods across combative sports, preventing athletes from competing if they have signs of concussion and providing referees with mandatory annual training on head injuries were accepted in principle. How these recommendations are implemented depends on the future role of the province in regulating combative sport.
“Our government is committed to ensuring all athletes – including combative sport athletes – are able to compete fairly and safely in the sports that they love. I’m grateful to our partners who are working with us to determine the next steps in enhancing the safety of Alberta’s combative sport athletes, and I look forward to sharing more in the coming months.”
Related information
- Report to the Minister of Justice: Public inquiry into the death of Timothy Hague