On Tuesday, 10-14-08, the Georgia Athletic & Entertainment Commission is meeting at 11AM at 2 Martin Luther King Jr Dr West Tower Suite 802 Atlanta GA 30334.
It is likely a Pro Wrestling Regulation will be voted on at the meeting.
The current proposed regulation is as follows:
Proposed Wrestling Rules
85-4-.01 (Licensed Organizations)
(1) No person shall promote or hold a professional
wrestling match, contest, or
exhibition within this state without first obtaining a
Wrestling Organization
license issued by the commission. Licenses shall be issued
annually and shall
expire on December 31 of each calendar year. Authority:
43-4B-51 (c) and 43-
4B-50 (a)
(2) Wrestling Organizations shall apply to the commission
for a license required by
subsection (1) of this section on a form provided by the
commission. The
application shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee
not to exceed $100.00.
(3) While promoting and sponsoring a match, contest, or
exhibition of wrestling in
this state, the Wrestling Organization shall:
(a) Hold a valid license issued by the commission as a
professional Wrestling
Organization. Authority: 43-4B-51 (c) and 43-4B-50
(b) File an event report, as specified by the commission,
with the commission
15 days before each professional match, contest, or
exhibition and 15 days
after the professional match, contest, or exhibition.
Authority: 43-4B-51
(c), 43-4B-52 (a), 43-4B-52(b)
(c) Report to the commission the intent to use foreign
objects or props that are any sharp object, any hammer or
other item that could cause bodily harm. Firearms are not
permitted as acceptable props.Authority 43-
4B-51 (c) and 40-4B-50 (a) (d) At the time the Wrestling
Organization has knowledge that an advertised
wrestler will not appear, the wrestling organization shall
post a notice to
that effect outside of the entrances to the venue and include
such
information as required on post event reporting per 85-4-
.01 (3)(b).
Authority: 43-4B-51 (c), 43-4B-52(a), 43-4B-52(b)
(e) Ensure all buildings or structures used or intended to be
used for holding
or giving professional matches, contests, or exhibitions of
professional
wrestling shall be safe and shall in all manner conform to
the laws,
ordinances, and regulations pertaining to buildings in the
city or
unincorporated area of the county where the building or
structure is
situated. Authority: 43-4B-50 (a)
(4) While authorizing and governing a match, contest, or
exhibition of wrestling in
this state, the Wrestling Organization shall also ensure that:
(a) All wrestlers performing in a match, contest, or
exhibition are at least 18
years old.
(b) All professional wrestlers performing in a match,
contest, or exhibition
shall only wrestle inside the separation barrier or backstage
on anywhere that will not endanger the safety of the public
or the wrestler. defined in Rule 85-4-
.03(a)(3).
(c) Each professional wrestler participating in the match,
contest, or
exhibition has prior to December 31 of every year
submitted to the
commission documentation, signed by a licensed physician,
of passing a
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basic medical exam. The form and contents of the
documentation shall be
provided by the commission. (d) No professional wrestler
shall perform while under the influence of illegal drugs
or alcohol. If there is reason to suspect that a wrestler is
impaired or under
the influence of drugs or alcohol, the organization may be
required to have
the wrestler tested immediately upon request by the
commission.
(e) Anyone involved with the promotion or performance of
a professional
wrestling event shall not deliberately cut themselves, any
other participant,
or any other persons involved in a wrestling match or
event. (f) No professional wrestler shall use anabolic
steroids, human growth
hormone or other controlled substance unless prescribed by
a doctor for a
specific medical condition. Wrestling Organizations are
prohibited from
providing prescription drugs of any kind to a performer.
Authority O.C.G.A. § 43-4B-50(a)
85-4-.02 (Professional wrestling event location)
(1) When a match, contest, or exhibition of professional
wrestling occurs within this
state, the wrestling organization shall take necessary steps
to ensure the safety, health,
and welfare of the wrestlers and the spectators. Such
standards shall include the
following:
(a) The venue used complies with the standards set forth in
Code section 85-4-
.01(3)(e). Authority 43-4B-50 (a)
(b) At least 2 security persons dressed and clearly identified
as security must be
present. Authority 43-4B-50 (a)
(c) There must be a separation barrier between the ring and
the spectators.
i. The barrier shall be made from metal, rope or other
shatterproof material, stable, at
least 42 inches from the floor of the venue, and be designed
to prevent a
wrestler from exiting through the barrier into the seating
area during a contest;
and ii. The barrier shall be 6 feet away from the ring and 4
feet from the first row of
seating. Authority 43-4B-50 (a)
(d) The ring mats must be cleaned and swept after each
wrestling event and must be
replaced by the wrestling organization at least once per
year or 24 shows. Authority 43-4B-50 a)
(e) Glass shall not be permitted to be used in any match,
contest, or exhibition.
Authority 43-4B-50 (a)
(f) Fire shall not make contact with any wrestler during a
match, contest, or
exhibition; and Authority 43-4B-50 (a)
(g) Illegal drugs and alcoholic beverages shall not be
permitted in the locker rooms,
dressing areas, or backstage during a wrestling match,
contest, or exhibition.
Authority 43-4B-50 (a)
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Take a tape measure and look at how far back 4 feet is, which is how far these rules want seating back from the ring barrier.
Note that the rules require medical exams from wrestlers by Dec 31…..but is that of the prior year or the year in which someone may wrestle. If the prior year, how would all wrestlers know they’d work in Georgia the next year and if the year in which someone wrestles, does that mean that someone can wrestle all year so long as they get a medical test in by year’s end?
As with all State efforts to regulate an entertainment form, these rules are stupid & unecessary.