Announced through an Order in Council, the Ontario government has designated competition of a number of amateur combative sports legal when sanctioned by their respective Ministry recognized Provincial Sport Organizations. This is fantastic news for the muaythai community, as amateur muaythai will have full exemption from Section 83 of the Criminal Code under Muaythai Ontario starting July 1st, 2017.

The pursuit of establishing a Ministry recognized Provincial Sport Organization for muaythai began back in 2011 and picked up new momentum in 2014. Muaythai Ontario is happy to bring the sport of muaythai the recognition that its community deserves, allowing for safe, sanctioned competition and continued development.

The full text of the order in council is below:

Order in Council 1087/2017

On the recommendation of the undersigned, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, by and with the advice and concurrence of the Executive Council of Ontario, orders that:

Whereas clause 83(2)(a) of the Criminal Code excludes from the definition of a “prize fight” in section 83 of the Criminal Code a contest between amateur athletes in a combative sport with fists, hands or feet held in a province if the sport is on the programme of the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee and, in the case where the province’s lieutenant governor in council or any other person or body specified by him or her requires it, the contest is held with their permission;

And whereas clause 83(2)(b) of the Criminal Code excludes from the definition of a “prize fight” in section 83 of the Criminal Code a contest between amateur athletes in a combative sport with fists, hands or feet held in a province if the sport has been designated by the province’s lieutenant governor in council or by any other person or body specified by him or her and, in the case where the lieutenant governor in council or other specified person or body requires it, the contest is held with their permission;

Therefore, for the purposes of clauses 83(2)(a) and 83(2)(b) of the Criminal Code,

  1. the following amateur sports are hereby designated:
    • boxing
    • grappling
    • jiu jitsu
    • judo
    • karate
    • kickboxing
    • muay thai
    • pankration
    • taekwondo
    • wrestling
    • wushu
  2. permission is required from the Provincial Sport Organization recognized by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport pursuant to its Sport Recognition Policy for the amateur sport, in order for a person to hold a contest in that amateur sport; and
  3. in the case of a wrestling contest to be held by a school or a university, permission is required from the applicable school or university athletic association or its affiliate.

And further this Order in Council shall come into effect on July 1, 2017.

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport

Approved and Ordered: May 31, 2017