Tim Hague’s In-Ring Death Occurred Following Edmonton Commission Missteps

According to MMA Junkie, an independent report has concluded the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission made several missteps in the buildup to a boxing match that led to UFC veteran Tim Hague’s death in June. The report, which was written by business consultancy firm MNP, LLP, stated the following…

“It does appear that certain ECSC Policies were not followed for the June event.”

The report also reveals that on two occasions prior to Hague’s fatal bout, commission doctors gave the fighter a shorter medical suspension than was required by the rules. They also failed to account for an unsanctioned MMA bout held in July 2016, when Hague suffered a knockout loss, which should have led to an immediate 90-day suspension.

In December, Hague had another boxing bout and suffered a TKO loss. Under ECSC rules, that should have led to a mandatory 180-day suspension for a knockout loss from blows to the head. Instead, he competed in a “superboxing” hybrid of boxing and MMA fight in April 2017. Following that, the ECSC deferred to the opinions of physicians who weren’t aware of Hague’s fighting history to impose medical post-fight suspensions rather than follow the commission’s guidelines on suspension length.

The report recommended 18 changes to the ECSC’s current policies to bring it in line with other athletic commissions in Canada and the US. This includes an anonymous tip line for people with concerns about the health and safety of fighters. The ECSC released the following statement…

“The ECSC welcomes the release of this report and looks forward to reviewing its findings and recommendations. From the outset the Commission has taken this issue very seriously and is committed to working together with City Council and the City Administration to take appropriate action based on the recommendations.”