Rule 85-1-.05 - Conduct of Promotion(1)General Responsibilities and Provisions. During the performance of any promotion it shall be the promoter's responsibility to ensure the compliance with all laws and rules governing professional boxing in Georgia. Such responsibilities shall include, but will not be limited to, the following: (a)Medical Insurance. The promoter shall provide for the participants insurance covering ambulance services; medical, surgical and hospital care with a minimum limit of $20,000 for injuries sustained while participating in said program, and for a $20,000 death benefit awarded to the estate of any Contestant should death occur from injuries received while participating in said contest.(b)Ambulance Service. The promoter shall provide continuous ambulance service with a state-certified EMT attendant, who shall then provide a resuscitator, stretcher, backboard, oxygen and such other medical equipment reasonably expected for an immediate trauma care, and who shall be present before the start of each contest and shall remain on site until the close of the program. 1. For the purposes of this section, a program of boxing begins with the commencement of the first bout and ends when the last Contestant leaves the site of the program.2. The chief referee and/or the commission appointed supervisor shall meet with the EMT prior to the beginning of the show. During such meeting the commission supervisor will instruct the EMT concerning the show, placement of the stretcher and any other information necessary to ensure prompt and appropriate immediate care should such care be needed.3. Such ambulance shall be able and available to immediately transport any severely injured Contestant to an appropriate medical facility.4. If the ambulance or EMT is required to leave the site of the show for any reason, no boxing will be allowed to continue until another ambulance or replacement MET returns to the site.(c)General Safety. It shall be the promoter's responsibility to insure safety for the Contestants, officials and fans and to comply with all safety standards required by the commission.(d)Arena Security. Arena security is the responsibility of the promoter and such security measures provided by the promoter shall be sufficient to maintain order. At a minimum, 2 sworn off-duty law enforcement officers shall be retained for security.(e)Obtain Ring. The promoter will provide a ring for the show and that ring must pass the certification requirements established by the commission.(f)Extra Gloves. Each promoter must have an extra set of gloves of the appropriate weight available to be used in case a glove is broken or otherwise damaged during the course of the contest or exhibition.(g)Ring & Glove Certification. It is the promoter's responsibility to ensure that the ring and gloves selected for use during each show meet the commission's rules and regulations concerning proper certification should be resolved no less than ten (10) days prior to the date of the show.(h)Advanced Advertising. In addition to the requirements in this Chapter, no contestant or celebrity shall be advertised by any promoter before said promoter has in his or her possession a written commitment from said contestant or celebrity and before said promoter has filed a copy of such written commitment with the commission.(i)Suggesting Benefits for Charitable Organization. No promoter may advertise, hold out, or suggest in any fashion that a portion of the proceeds of any proposed show will be donated to a charitable organization without first complying with the commission's rules governing "programs for charity."(j)Main Event Start Time. The final bout for all events sanctioned by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission shall start at the discretion of the Commission on the date for which the event permit is approved.(2)Ringside Physician.(a)Providing a physician. It shall be the responsibility of the commission representative to assign one or more physicians at ringside during the contest. 1. The physicians assigned must be on the roster of physicians authorized to conduct pre-fight physicals and serve as ringside physicians created by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission.2. At least one ringside physician must have in his or her possession any medical supplies and equipment reasonably anticipated to provide first-aid medical assistance for the type of injuries reasonably anticipated to occur in professional boxing matches.3. The promoter shall compensate assigned ringside physicians in an amount to be mutually agreed upon.(3)Arena.(a)Drinks. No boxing match will be allowed to commence or continue, without specific authorization from the commission, in any arena where concessionaries dispense or serve beverages in containers other than plastic or paper cups.(b)Arena safety. No boxing match will be allowed to commence or continue in any arena which appears to the commission appointed supervisor to be unsafe or where the commission appointed supervisor has reason to believe that such building or location does not conform to any applicable laws, ordinances and regulations in the city or unincorporated county area.(c)Dressing rooms. The only people allowed in the Contestant's dressing room are the Contestant, manager, commission representatives including appointed commissioners, approved physician(s), news media representatives, and promoters. 1. Promoters may be required by the commission appointed supervisor to post a guard at the entrance to the dressing rooms to aid in enforcement of dressing room security.2. If requested by the commission, a separate dressing area should be provided for all referees and judges.(4)Show.(a)Marketing Prohibited Without Prior Commission Approval. Commission approval or authorization must be obtained prior to selling tickets, making announcements, or distributing advertisements concerning any show, show date, contestants, or matches.(b)Rounds scheduled.1. Unless otherwise approved by the commission, promoters shall schedule no less than twenty-four (24) rounds of boxing on one (1) program. For a mixed martial arts program, promoters shall schedule twenty-four (24) rounds total, or at least seven (7) bouts that comprise a minimum of twenty-one (21) rounds total. The rounds must be scheduled and approved by the Commission three (3) days prior to the event. An emergency bout must be provided in case any of the scheduled bouts are not held.2. No boxing match shall have any rounds lasting longer than three (3) minutes. (i) All contests or exhibitions in professional boxing featuring male boxers will be required to have 3 minutes rounds with 1 minute rest period between rounds.(ii) All contests or exhibitions in professional boxing featuring female boxers will be required to have 2 minute rounds with 1 minute rest periods between rounds.3. No boxing or exhibition shall be permitted for more than 10 rounds duration, except in a championship match, which shall not exceed 12 rounds.(c)Card Approval. Requests for preliminary approval of cards should be received by the commission no less than ten days prior to the date of the contest. The Final card must be received by the commission no less than three days prior to the date of the contest. 1. Substitutions to the final card will only be allowed after sufficient evidence documenting a medical reason why such substitution is required. (i) Substitutions can occur if the promoter is actively working to search for a replacement. The Executive Director and the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Commission must approve the proposed bout.2. No substitution will be allowed during the final seven hours prior to the beginning of the show.(5)Purse.(a)Method of Payment. Except as otherwise stated below, purses shall be paid by certified or cashiers check immediately after the contest. Payments of percentage contracts shall be made as soon as the amount can be determined. If requested by the Commission or by any Contestant, all purse payments shall be made in the presence of the authorized commission representative. 1. After notification and approval by the Commission, arrangement for the payment of any purse greater than $50,000.00 shall be mutually agreed to by the promoter and the Contestant.2. Should a promoter default on payments to Contestants, only that amount disclosed on the contract or bout agreement filed with the Commission and in advance of the bout will be covered by any bond on file with the Commission.(b)Minimum Payment per Contracted Round. All contestants shall be guaranteed a purse equal to or exceeding $50.00 per contracted round.(c)Authorized Purse Deductions. Promoters may deduct from any contestant's purse, the total amount of fees or fines owed to the Commission by said Contestant, including, but not limited to, fees required to issue to such contestant a federal identification card and/or state license, where such fees or fines have not previously been paid by said contestant. Any such deduction shall immediately be remitted to the Commission.(6)Contracts.(a)Contract or Bout Agreement: Unless agreed upon in advance by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, all bout agreements must be on the form approved by the Commission.1. The amount of guarantee or percentage promised; the number and time limit of rounds; which and where the official weigh-in will be conducted; when and where the Contestants are scheduled to appear; weight; and all other reasonably expected to be an issue of agreement within professional boxing contracts and agreement. (i) Weights expressed on bout agreements for all four and six round bouts shall allow no less than a +/-2 pounds variance of the contracted weight.(ii) Weights expressed on bout agreements for all championship (12 rounds) matches shall be absolute and shall not allow for any variance.2. Signature of the promoter or his or her designated representative, and the Contestant or his or her designated representative.3. All bout agreements will state the following in bold type: Each Contestant applying for a license is required to obtain on their own a Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C blood test and must present to the Commission representative no later than at the weigh-in the result of such test conducted within 180 days of the proposed match.(b)Contract or Bout Agreement: Required Form for Submission. All information appearing on any handwritten agreements or contracts shall be typed or printed clearly.(c)Contract or Bout Agreement: File with Commission. One copy of each signed written agreement or contract, once executed by both parties and within three calendar days of such execution, shall be filed with the Commission. 1. No boxing match shall be allowed to commence prior to execution of a signed contract or bout agreement by both parties or before said contract or bout agreement is submitted to the Commission.(d)Violations: Grounds for Suspension. Violation by either party of any written bout agreement or contract may be grounds for suspension of any license issued by the Commission and may, in addition to such suspension result in a fine imposed by the Commission.(7)Failure to Perform.(a)Promoter Failure to Perform. The failure of a promoter to perform according to the terms of the contract; to produce contestants or special added attractions as advertised; to pay the contestants their contractual guarantee, or percentage; or the failure of a promoter to live up to his or her agreement with his or her contestants or performers who did perform as scheduled is prohibited.(b)Contestant Failure to Perform. The failure of a contestant under contract with a licensed promoter to perform according to the terms of said contract; or the failure of a contestant to live up to his or her agreement with a person to which the contestant is under contractual agreement is prohibited.(c)Violation: Penalties.1. Violation of either paragraph (a) or (b) within this subsection shall, for the first offense, be grounds for administrative suspension of not less than 90 days and a fine of not more than the contracted purse amount disclosed on the bout agreement or contract.2. The second and/or any subsequent violation by any person of either paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) within this subsection may, in addition to any suspension by the Commission, subject the violator to a fine of not more than the contracted purse amount as disclosed on the bout agreement or contract plus not more than an additional $10,000. Said fine to be imposed by the Commission.3. Any person or license holder violating on three or more occasions either paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) within this subsection shall have his or her license suspended indefinitely. Provided, however, that any action by the Commission to enforce or attempt to enforce the provisions of this sub-paragraph will be taken only after notice and hearing according to the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act," Title 50, Chapter 13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 85-1-.05
O.C.G.A. §§ 43-1-19, 43-1-25, 43-4B-4, 43-4B-7, 43-4B-11, 43-4B-14, 43-4B-19.
Original Rule entitled "Conduct of Bout" adopted. F. May 30, 1984; effective June 19, 1984.Amended: F. Mar. 25, 1985; eff. Apr. 14, 1985.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. June 11, 1999; eff. July 1, 1999.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Conduct of Promotion" adopted. F. Dec. 2, 2002; eff. Jan. 1, 2003, as specified by the Agency.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Dec. 16, 2003; eff. Jan. 5, 2004.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. June 11, 2007; eff. July 1, 2007.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. July 1, 2013; eff. July 21, 2013.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Dec. 16, 2015; eff. Jan. 5, 2016.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Mar. 29, 2016; eff. Apr. 18, 2016.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Nov. 21, 2017; eff. Dec. 11, 2017.Amended: F. May 20, 2024; eff. June 9, 2024.