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handle is hein.crs/cngresat0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Inforning the legislative debate since 1914 May 5, 2025 Congress and the Regulation of Professional Boxing in the United States Congress and the federal government have historically played a relatively small role in sports in the United States. With a few notable exceptions-such as Olympic participation, support for female athletes, and youth fitness-the government has left the development and regulation of sporting activities up to participants and states. Another notable exception to this general history has been professional boxing. Congress has a long history of oversight and policymaking intended to address some of the unique issues that have arisen in the sport. This In Focus briefly summarizes the history of congressional interest in boxing and the federal laws enacted to protect boxers. Congressional Interest in Boxing Official congressional interest in boxing arose during the 1950s, an era of peak interest in the sport. At that time, there was evidence that boxing across the country had come under the control of organized crime. The mafia was interested in boxing because of the money that could be made on top-level fights and the decentralized organization of the sport, which made it easier to control. This drive for profit by mafia figures as well as managers and promoters led to the physical and financial exploitation of athletes. During the early 1950s, federal law enforcement successfully prosecuted the International Boxing Club, a mafia-affiliated organization that had taken control of elite boxing across the country, and interest grew in broader reform. Congress took an active role in 1960, when Senator Estes Kefauver, a seasoned opponent of organized crime, launched an investigation that helped expose the role of the mafia in boxing to the broader public. In four hearings between 1960 and 1964, witnesses described the mafia's growing role in boxing over the previous decade. (See, for example, the June 1960 hearing of the Subcommittee on Antitrust and Monopoly Legislation of the Senate Judiciary Committee.) While Congress did not pass legislation on the matter at that time, many pushed for Congress to create a national organization to govern the sport. Eventually, increasing money and corporate involvement in the sport pushed aside organized crime interests. Some Members of Congress remained interested in legislation to address other ongoing issues in the sport. First, the health risks inherent in combat sports (for a definition of combat sport, see, for example, New York state law) have always made boxing a lightning rod for controversy, even when robust safety measures are in place. Second, the fierce competition for few title opportunities and decentralized administration of matches allowed promoters, who organize and market matches, to gain significant power in the industry as gatekeepers who could make or break boxers' careers by determining whom they could fight and whether they would have opportunities to compete for titles. This gatekeeping power allowed promoters to push boxers into exclusive contracts that many observers considered exploitative. Similarly, because rankings often determine what opportunities for matches are available to fighters, the organizations that issue rankings and sanction lucrative title fights also gained substantial leverage that could be applied to boxers through ranking decisions. Congress Acts In 1996, following renewed interest in Congress and hearings about the state of the sport, Congress passed the Professional Boxing Safety Act (P.L. 104-272). This legislation was intended to address uneven health and safety standards in the sport. Congress also remained interested in exploitative contracts for fighters and passed the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (P.L. 106-210) in 2000. This act sought to address some of the systemic issues that pressured professional boxers into such contractual agreements. How Is Professional Boxing Regulated in the United States? Historically, states determined whether boxing was legal in their jurisdictions and established commissions (or at least rules) to govern professional matches occurring within their boundaries. While the federal government now plays a role as well, regulation of boxing is still largely a state matter. In the 1980s, a coalition of state boxing commissions formed the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC). The ABC developed Unified Rules that govern competition. These rules have been widely adopted by state commissions and govern most matches in the United States. As discussed below, Congress has used the ABC to develop national guidelines on specific policy matters. Today, in addition to boxing, state commissions regulate a variety of additional combat sports, many of which operate under unified rules developed by the ABC. As discussed below, the rules enforced by state commissions also include certain federal requirements. Current Federal Law The Professional Boxing Safety Act and the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act are codified together in Chapter 89 of Title 15 of the United States Code. The purposes of these provisions are to protect the welfare of professional ittps://Crsreports.congress.gt S

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