Edmonton group advises against policing wrestling

EDMONTON An Edmonton city hall committee has decided that professional wrestling is simply entertainment and is recommending council strike it from the card of similar events it does have to govern.

The community and public services committee decided Wednesday that pro wrestling should be removed from the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission bylaw because it’s not like boxing or mixed martial arts.

The move would allow organizations in Edmonton that handle pro wrestling to regulate themselves.

Coun. Scott McKeen says it doesn’t make sense to have wrestling follow the same strict rules and regulations as combative sports.

Mike Malowany, who produces podcasts and videos for various wrestling events in Alberta, says current rules and licensing fees discourage some professional wrestling organizations from hosting events in Edmonton.

Council must still vote on the recommendation.

“We found out that with professional wrestling the outcomes are predetermined and that it’s theatre,” joked McKeen, who said he would be surprised if the recommendation does not get passed.

“What we do know is that in combative sports there’s a greater likelihood of serious head injuries, so I think you have to just separate them a little bit ... make it clear that one needs much more rigour around it.”

Malowany said Edmonton is one of the last regions in Canada to have a bureaucracy behind the sport and city hall is just “catching up with the times.”

“There are fees involved in getting a promoter’s licence and sometimes it’s just not feasible to pay those,” he said.

“If you go just outside the city, don’t have to pay the fees, would you pay them?”