Combat sports review after death of kickboxer, 15

A review of the safety of children who compete in combat sports has been ordered by the government following the death of a 15-year-old world kickboxing champion.

Alex Eastwood, from Fazakerley in Liverpool, died on 2 July 2024, three days after he collapsed following an unsanctioned charity fight against a 17-year-old opponent in Wigan, Greater Manchester.

Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock told MPs that Sport England would work with the martial arts sector to identify safety improvements and present a plan "in the coming months".

She was responding to calls for better regulation of martial arts competitions from Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden, who is supporting Alex's parents.

Carden said he had called the debate in the House of Commons with "a heavy heart" and that "Alex's death was not simply a tragic accident but a preventable loss" which had "highlighted a dangerous gap in our duty to protect children".

Alex's father Stephen Eastwood and step-mother Nikita were in the public gallery to hear the debate.

Speaking outside Parliament while holding a photograph of his son, Mr Eastwood said several safeguarding failures had come to light during Alex's inquest.

He said parents often "assumed" sporting events were sanctioned and regulated, but that had not been the case with the charity fundraiser fight at TKMA Gym in Platt Bridge, Wigan.

Mr Eastwood said he and his wife had fallen "victim" to the assumption "that everything was above board - we assumed that everything was in place".

He said it was only during last month's inquest that the family had discovered "that wasn't true".

Mr Eastwood said he would not like to see kickboxing banned for children since "it helps keep them off the streets, it helps tackle obesity, it's good for mental awareness [and] it gives them a springboard going into future life".

But he said there needed to be better safeguarding, first aid facilities and medical care available.

Mr and Mrs Eastwood are due to meet Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy on Monday and will ask her to implement "a minimum standard for gyms that have children in", including "proper DBS checks and proper safeguarding".

Mrs Eastwood urged other families involved in kickboxing to ask questions of the venues where their children train and compete.

She said: "Ask, is this a regulated gym? Where are your DBS checks? Who's your health and safety officer? Who's your safeguarding coach?"

She suggested that gyms could also display this information on their walls.

Peacock said her department and Sport England would work together to develop guidance for the martial arts sector and review safeguarding codes to ensure they were fit for purpose.

She said Sport England would also work with the children's charity NSPCC to help educate parents and carers on what to look for when considering martial arts tuition.

Peacock said her department was also exploring ways to strengthen safety standards in clubs and competitions that are not affiliated with national governing bodies.

She said conversations were also being had with the martial arts sector to understand how to help parents and carers be confident that their children are safe when participating.

Carden told the Commons the inquest into Alex's death heard that standards around safety, medical oversight and safeguarding varied widely, and in many cases were absent.

He added: "If a match is unofficial or unsanctioned, there is no guideline minimum standard that must be met to provide safeguarding for a child participant, no minimum standard of medical support that might be required, no maximum rounds, no periods of rest, no welfare checks on participants, and no risk assessment and critical incident plan.

"It should stop us all in our tracks to learn that in this country, children can be placed in combat situations without clear, enforceable national protections."

Carden said Alex's family had "done everything right - everything a loving family would do. They encouraged him to get involved in a range of sports and activities and supported him when it became clear that he had a talent for kickboxing".

But he said "they and Alex were failed by a lack of safeguarding, responsibility and regulation".

He told MPs: "Every single day, children up and down the country take part in activities like Alex did. They lace up gloves, put on headgear and step into training halls and rings, with no minimum standards in place to ensure their safety."

He said parents like the Eastwoods would be oblivious to some of the risks of unsanctioned and unregulated bouts.

Peacock said: "The coroner's report on the case of Alexander Eastwood highlighted specific issues around clubs and competitions that are not affiliated with a national governing body. We are now looking into that as a matter of urgency."

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