I went to a fight...
...and a hockey game almost broke out.
I'm just putting this here for the sake of posterity and my own amusement (two very compelling reasons, in my view).
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On-ice slugfest triggers backlash
Last updated Jun 21 2005 09:11 AM PDT
CBC NEWS - A Prince George city councillor is leading the campaign to stop the Battle of the Hockey Enforcers from happening in the northern B.C. city this summer.
Brian Skakun has filed an appeal with the city to block the event - which would feature ex-hockey players on skates scrapping for cash without playing any hockey.
The city's athletic commission approved the event. But Skakun says under a bylaw created 30 years ago, the commission's authority covers only boxing and wrestling matches.
He also says many residents are opposed to the fight, and thinks the city should respect that.
"A lot of minor hockey organizations are doing all they can to get violence out of the game, and this is just promoting more violence in hockey and sending a bad message to the children."
But some Prince George residents are defending the city's decision, including Mike Hickson whose son plays minor hockey.
"These are professional athletes that are getting paid money to beat on each other. If they want to do that, go for it."
The promoters took the show to Prince George after other cities, including Winnipeg and Minneapolis, nixed the idea.
Despite the criticism, organizers say people are snapping up tickets quickly, with 1,000 of them sold on the first day alone.
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Please hold the cliches about Prince George people; I admit though, they practically write themselves.
But tell me how this "event" differs from a plain old prize fight, which is still an offence under section 83 of the Criminal Code:
Prize Fights: Engaging in prize fight
83. (1) Every one who
(a) engages as a principal in a prize fight,
(b) advises, encourages or promotes a prize fight, or
(c) is present at a prize fight as an aid, second, surgeon, umpire, backer or reporter,
is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
Definition of "prize fight"
(2) In this section, "prize fight" means an encounter or fight with fists or hands between two persons who have met for that purpose by previous arrangement made by or for them, but a boxing contest between amateur sportsmen, where the contestants wear boxing gloves of not less than one hundred and forty grams each in mass, or any boxing contest held with the permission or under the authority of an athletic board or commission or similar body established by or under the authority of the legislature of a province for the control of sport within the province, shall be deemed not to be a prize fight.
***
I'm just putting this here for the sake of posterity and my own amusement (two very compelling reasons, in my view).
***
On-ice slugfest triggers backlash
Last updated Jun 21 2005 09:11 AM PDT
CBC NEWS - A Prince George city councillor is leading the campaign to stop the Battle of the Hockey Enforcers from happening in the northern B.C. city this summer.
Brian Skakun has filed an appeal with the city to block the event - which would feature ex-hockey players on skates scrapping for cash without playing any hockey.
The city's athletic commission approved the event. But Skakun says under a bylaw created 30 years ago, the commission's authority covers only boxing and wrestling matches.
He also says many residents are opposed to the fight, and thinks the city should respect that.
"A lot of minor hockey organizations are doing all they can to get violence out of the game, and this is just promoting more violence in hockey and sending a bad message to the children."
But some Prince George residents are defending the city's decision, including Mike Hickson whose son plays minor hockey.
"These are professional athletes that are getting paid money to beat on each other. If they want to do that, go for it."
The promoters took the show to Prince George after other cities, including Winnipeg and Minneapolis, nixed the idea.
Despite the criticism, organizers say people are snapping up tickets quickly, with 1,000 of them sold on the first day alone.
***
Please hold the cliches about Prince George people; I admit though, they practically write themselves.
But tell me how this "event" differs from a plain old prize fight, which is still an offence under section 83 of the Criminal Code:
Prize Fights: Engaging in prize fight
83. (1) Every one who
(a) engages as a principal in a prize fight,
(b) advises, encourages or promotes a prize fight, or
(c) is present at a prize fight as an aid, second, surgeon, umpire, backer or reporter,
is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
Definition of "prize fight"
(2) In this section, "prize fight" means an encounter or fight with fists or hands between two persons who have met for that purpose by previous arrangement made by or for them, but a boxing contest between amateur sportsmen, where the contestants wear boxing gloves of not less than one hundred and forty grams each in mass, or any boxing contest held with the permission or under the authority of an athletic board or commission or similar body established by or under the authority of the legislature of a province for the control of sport within the province, shall be deemed not to be a prize fight.
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