Virginia Administrative Code › Title 18 - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING › Agency 120 - DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL REGULATION › Chapter 40 - VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL BOXING AND WRESTING EVENTS REGULATIONS › Part VII - Event Licensing and Conduct Standards for Boxing › Section 18VAC120-40-240 - Equipment to be provided by boxing promoters

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
The promoter shall assure that each event shall have the
					 following:
1. A fighting ring, which
				  shall be in the shape of a square, a hexagon, or an octagon. A square ring
				  shall not be less than 18 feet square inside the ropes and shall not exceed 20
				  feet square inside the ropes. A hexagon or octagon ring shall not be less than
				  18 feet (from any side to the opposite side) inside the ropes and shall not
				  exceed 32 feet (from any side to the opposite side) inside the ropes.
The ring floor shall be padded with ensolite one inch thick
					 or another similar closed-cell foam. The padded ring floor must extend at least
					 18 inches beyond the ring ropes and over the edge of the platform with a top
					 covering of canvas or similar material tightly stretched and laced to the ring
					 platform. Material that tends to gather in lumps or ridges or material with a
					 slick covering shall not be used.
The ring platform shall not be more than five feet above
					 the floor of the building and shall have suitable steps for use by boxers in
					 their corners and by the ringside physician in a neutral corner.
Ring posts shall be of metal, not more than three inches in
					 diameter, extending from the floor of the building to a height of 58 inches
					 above the ring floor. The ring posts must be at least 18 inches away from the
					 ropes.
There shall be four ring ropes not less than one inch in
					 diameter, evenly spaced, with the bottom ring rope not less than 18 inches
					 above the ring floor and the top ring rope not more than 52 inches above the
					 ring floor. The ring ropes must be padded with a padding of closed cell padding
					 of not less than 1/2 inch. Ropes are to be connected with soft rope ties six
					 feet apart. All ring ropes are to be tight and approved by the department or
					 its contractor.
All corners must be padded with approved pads. All
					 turnbuckles are to be covered with a protective padding.
A ring stool and bucket shall be provided for each boxer's
					 corner.
The ring shall have bright lights and light all four
					 corners and middle of the ring equally. No lights shall shine into the face of
					 the boxers or ringside judges; lights may only shine downward and not shine at
					 any angle directly into the fighting ring area that may blind the boxers or
					 judges.
The promoter shall provide a ringside restrictive barrier
					 between the first row of ringside seats and the event official's area that will
					 restrict the crowd from confronting either the boxers or event officials and
					 will ensure that the boxers remain free from obstructions or distractions. The
					 ringside barrier must be a minimum of eight feet from the outside edge of the
					 ring.
2. A bell or gong
				  located at the ring no higher than the floor level of the ring. The bell or
				  gong must produce a clear tone easily heard by the boxers.
3. Locker rooms adequate in number and
				  equipment to reasonably facilitate the boxer's activities before and after the
				  contest. Separate locker rooms shall be provided when both male and female
				  boxers are scheduled to compete. Locker rooms shall have restroom facilities
				  available.
4. A fully equipped
				  ambulance with a currently trained ambulance crew at the site of any boxing
				  event for the entire duration of the event and any additional personnel or
				  equipment required by 15 USC § 6304.
5. A notice to the nearest hospital and the
				  persons in charge of its emergency room of the date, time, and location of the
				  boxing event.
6. Boxing gloves of
				  the proper weight that are set by weight classification by
				  18VAC120-40-295. Boxing gloves
				  must have laces to secure proper fit. Gloves must have an attached thumb to the
				  body of the glove. Gloves must be clean, free of cuts, have good laces, with no
				  displacement or lumping of the padding material. Gloves used in world title
				  fights shall be new and taken from the package just prior to issuing to the
				  boxers. Gloves shall be inspected by the event inspector or his designee before
				  each contest and those found defective shall be replaced before the contest
				  begins. In all championship bouts, the boxers shall be gloved in the ring. A
				  solution of 10% household bleach and water shall be used for cleansing of all
				  gloves prior to and after each bout.
7. A sealed OTC pregnancy test kit, approved
				  by the Food and Drug Administration, for each female boxer that will be given
				  to the event inspector or his designee.
8. A clear plastic water bottle, a bucket
				  containing ice, surgeon's adhesive tape and surgical gauze for each
				  boxer.
9. A solution of one part
				  bleach and nine parts water for disinfecting blood on the ring canvas or ropes
				  shall be available ringside for use by staff stationed ringside to clean the
				  ring canvas and ropes as needed.
10. The promoter shall provide each corner
				  with biohazardous material bags and, after the event, shall discard all
				  regulated medical waste in the proper manner in accordance with the Regulated
				  Medical Waste Management Regulations (9VAC20-120) issued by the Virginia Waste
				  Management Board and available from the Department of Environmental
				  Quality.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-831 of the Code of Virginia.