Maharlikan Times

Editorial: BATTLING OVER HEALTH & SAFETY ISSUES WITH CUTMEN

By Granville Ampong, Philboxing.com

        The buzz over the role of the cut-men gets a bad rap. It is a battle brewing in what could be the least scrutinized practices in the ringside by these same men affecting the health and safety of our fighters, if not just merely suppressing the bleeding tendencies of the wounded ones.

        Conversely, Dr. Ed de la Vega, in his column titled, “Miguel Diaz won the fight for Israel Vazquez, but he could have done more”, published in Philboxing.com on October 12, 2009, which may have been published as well by some local print media, must have touched the most crucial, nay, casually ignored issue affecting the health and safety of our fighters.

        Dr. de la Vega cited this case in point about the cutman of Israel Vazquez last October 10, Miguel Diaz, at the Nokia Theatre -L.A. Live.

        Dr. de la Vega said: “He does not use devices as simple as surgical gloves to prevent the spread of infection. And to make matters worse, he keeps the cotton Q-tips (used to deliver adrenalin to the cut) in his mouth - a nasty, unsanitary practice I oftentimes see other cut-men do as well.”

         One boxing pundit said, “Forget it, Man, the Commission is so screwed up as it is now, do you think they have time to worry about such things as infection control?” Dr. de la Vega quoted.

          And now the heat is on!

          Staphylococcus aureus and other infectious bacteria have become the deadliest, opportunistic bacteria especially to those with open wound.

         Although S. aureus has been causing infections (Staph infections) probably as long as the human race has existed, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) can be relatively acquired by individuals, such as community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), hospital-acquired or health-care-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA), or epidemic MRSA (EMRSA).

          As to this case with Miguel Diaz, universal precaution should have been observed such as the use of gloves and proper handling of body fluids. It’s not just about resolving its impropriety by giving antibiotics in a hospital setting after the event in order to target potential infections prophylactically, if not just to compensate, the consequence of such malpractice. It’s not even about his detrimental reliance on these antibiotics.

         One may wonder if health protocol is really observed in the boxing arena, which should be. The health inspector and the athletic authorities should not just be in the arena for entertainment, which sometimes they could freeze their gaze in their own imagination especially if they are in watching an exciting fight, or to render judgment or to deal issues of technical in nature but also to ensure proper sanitation in the actual wound care management. Otherwise, this could be a wake-up call to these cut-men and fighters and even to the health authorities to proactively supervise boxing matches.

        The California Athletic Commission must not be glad this said issue is being raised amid budget cuts and the demand of extensive studies it requires to further streamline its supervision these cutmen play into our wounded fighters, if one is to complicate the procedure which should not be.

        But, the basic tenet of California Athletic Commision is to protect our fighters from potential harm. And this is of utmost concern affecting the very life of our respective fighters. This is not about illegal hand-wrapping that the Athletic Commission should just delay in addressing concerns. This is about health issue. This is about a potential transmission of an infectious desease, MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus). This is about a potential transmission of other unnamed disease of idiopathic origin. Most of all, this is all about protecting our mortal fighters who are giving their lives in the ring, in some way, for us to be entertained.

        Slackness should not be tolerated.

        Nevertheless, this should not be an uphill battle for one. However, more aggressive actions must be taken to avert eventual suffering of our fighters or even death or unpredictable post-traumatic symptoms.

          It would be presumptuous on the part of the ordinary viewers of this blood-sport to pressure the Athletic Commission of respective states affecting their regulatory functions pertinent to health issues.

          But, the public eye sees the social responsibility relevant to preserve the value of this said sport. An immediate review of their wound care protocol must be imperative.

        Thus, the Department of Health of the state concerned respectively and surely should come into play along with the Athletic Commission of the hosting state.

        What took place at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live during the fight of Israel Vazquez and Angel Priolo must be a lens through which the aficionados and fans can see that it warrants an investigative inquiry by the Department of Health.

        The issue at hand should not have come this far only if there was an absence of slackness and, at that, the precautionary measures as to universal protocol for wound care have been observed, if not just being relegated to the back burner. The healthcare inspector should have his presence felt as an integral player in the preservation of the health of our “lonesome” fighters. Otherwise, this could just become the beginning of a silent epidemic in the ring of violence versus virulence, if not a fatal bacterial invasion in the bloodstreams of our fighters.

       Time and again, the Athletic State Commission, along with the Department of Health of the hosting state, should vigorously actuate heath-care responsibilities to the egocentric world of boxing.

Note: To send comment(s), please send to granvilleampong@maharlikantimes.com.