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By Zach Arnold | March 27, 2013

In private conversations, many important players who are involved in the fight industry (both boxing & MMA) are upset by what they saw with ESPN profiling Garrett Holeve, a young man with Down’s Syndrome who is participating in amateur MMA fights. However, there is trepidation of speaking out in public due to fear of retribution & backlash.

On Sunday night, we posted the following item: Florida allows young man with Down’s Syndrome & Rheumatoid Arthritis to do MMA fights

Last Thursday, ESPN PR posted the following pitch for their Sunday night video feature on Garrett Holeve:

Garrett Holeve, 23, was born with Down Syndrome and has spent the last three years training his body and mind for the rigors of MMA fighting. While some question the decision to allow Holeve to engage in such physical competition, the sport has given him a sense of fight – a belonging, purpose and acceptance – that extends beyond the ring. Tom Rinaldi reports. “He’s got all these problems you know, all these limitations. But he keeps driving through, he keeps fighting through you know. And you can’t ask more from a person than that” – Rodrigo “Baga” Ramos, Garrett’s coach, on the motivation Garrett provides to the other fighters at the gym.

The fight involving Garrett Holeve that ESPN aired was from February 23rd, 2013 in Sunny Isles, Florida at the Newport Beachfront Hotel.

When ESPN aired the feature on Garrett Holeve, I knew what the reaction would be on social media and what the reaction would be inside the fight industry. Here’s a clue: two very, very different and vociferous responses. Amongst sports fans on social media, the video package was heralded as a profile-in-courage and something to be celebrated. Take this comment for example:

Pls RT this inspirational story of strength,courage,determination & how far 1 can go if u believe …..

Writer Daniel Serrano characterized the ESPN video this way:

Holeve’s father said people called him sick for letting his son fight, accusing him of exploiting Holeve and putting him at unnecessary risk. I say he’s a hero, because if he really wanted to, Holeve’s father could have prevented his son from fighting. He could have made a compelling argument as to why his son wasn’t ring-ready and should be barred from competition. But he didn’t. Instead, he treated his son like a human being. He didn’t look at him like a disabled kid who needs to be coddled and protected from the real world. He honored his son’s decision and training and let him fight.

This item Jordan Breen wrote (January 8th, 2013) titled Should Garrett Holeve, MMA fighter with Down Syndrome, be given a fair fight? pretty much is the opinion that as long as Garrett isn’t involved in a full-fledged pro MMA fight, the situation is OK.

Inside the industry, however, a lot of individuals are angry and terrified by what they saw on television Sunday night.

The top regulators are upset, not so much with the way ESPN portrayed Garrett Holeve but rather the fact that someone with Down’s Syndrome is in a position to do amateur MMA fights in Florida. Fight lawyers who normally are cautious with their words were anything but hedging their vernacular in disgust. Reputable doctors went ballistic at what they saw as the dangerous exploitation of a young man with a serious health condition.

Due to the high-profile nature of the two individuals I’m about to relay comments from, I can’t reveal their names. However, they are serious names in their respective fields and have sharp track records.

First, a comment from a prominent lawyer in the fight industry:

“This is exploitative and unethical. You should speak with a neurologist about the impact of repeated brain trauma to someone who already has Down’s Syndrome. The injuries will also make his arthritis worse. To me, this is outrageous. Not everyone who wants to do something should have the chance. I bet his reaction speeds are also diminished because of the Down’s Syndrome. So who are they going to match him up with? Healthy MMA fighters with faster reaction times? Or another fighter with Down’s? … The job of the commission, the doctors, and the ref is to protect his health and welfare. Allowing him to step in the ring is already failing him in that duty. … Just because this kid wants to do something doesn’t mean he should. Would we let him drive a bus? Would we let him fly a plane? Would we let him join the military and go fight in Afghanistan? So what’s the difference? That he’s only going to hurt, maybe kill himself, not others? If so, that’s just unconscionable.”

The lawyer in question not only says that Florida’s athletic commission (Cynthia Hefren & Frank Gentile) & the ISKA have big liability concerns by allowing Holeve to fight, they also are putting themselves in a legal bind if opponents are told to take it easy on the young man and not to do a real fight. Plus, it puts the opponents in a no-win situation. If the opponent beats up Garrett Holeve, they’re beating up someone who has Down’s Syndrome. If the opponent loses, then they just lost to someone with a disability.

Now, the medical issues arising from Florida’s commission (via the ISKA) allowing Garrett Holeve to participate in MMA fights. Here is how one upper-echelon fight doctor summarized the situation:

“Concerns: skeletal — instability of the first two cervical vertebrae [must] be ruled out via an x-ray examination. Other musculoskeletal issues: scoliosis and hyperflexible joints (making sure he knows when to tap).

“Cardiac malformations — frequent, and likely [Garrett] should have an Echocardiogram, regardless of age, with any type of murmur.

“Visual — given how cross-eyed he was, I do not think he would pass a simple vision test.”

The issue of spinal stenosis was also discussed.

To bring this full circle, the doctor raised another important legal question that should worry Florida’s athletic commission and the ISKA should a major accident happen with Garrett Holeve during an MMA fight.

“Informed consent of signing a contract — really? I would not let my [child] sign a form for combat sports and she is an A student.”

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