The British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) endeavours to ensure that each Medical Officer appointed by BIBA as a Ringside Medical Officer, has thorough knowledge of the most common injuries which can occur during the course of a boxing match.

To assist them in this area, each Medical Officer appointed by the British & Irish Boxing Authority is provided with a copy of the Association Of Boxing Commissions (ABC) Ringside Medical Handbook, which covers all aspects of injuries etc that can occur during competition.

On the day of a tournament, or if a Championship event the day before the tournament, one of the BIBA Medical Officers appointed for an event will attend the official weigh-in.

Following the official weigh-in, each boxer is required to undertake a medical examination and is questioned on his/her medical history. In the cases where the BIBA Medical Officer is unsatisfied about the condition of either boxer, he/she will not sign the medical certificate which would allow the contest to take place. This applies to all boxers whether permanently licensed by BIBA or those from overseas.

No tournament will be allowed to commence without at least one appointed BIBA Medical Officer sitting at ringside, or an ambulance on standby staffed by at least two fully qualified and equipped paramedics.

At least one of the BIBA Medical Officers appointed for a boxing tournament must be practised and qualified in the management of an unconscious or partially conscious patient and in effect this either means a Consultant Anaesthetist or a Consultant in an Accident or Emergency Unit at a hospital or previously had been a Consultant in an Accident or Emergency Unit at a hospital.

Although the Referee is in sole charge of a contest and is the only person authorised to stop a contest, a duly appointed BIBA Medical Officer for an event may be called upon to inspect an injury if so required by the Referee and of his/her own volition may visit a boxer’s corner during the one minute interval between rounds should he/she feel there is any cause for concern.

BIBA Medical Officers have the power to impose or extend a medical suspension on a licence regardless of whether or not the boxer has won, lost or drawn the contest.

No boxer is permitted to leave a venue after a contest without having been cleared fit to do so by one of the BIBA Medical Officers in charge.

According to the Regulations of the British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA),  Medical Officers at BIBA licensed boxing tournaments can only be appointed by BIBA Head Office. This is to ensure that the Medical Officer is fully qualified and conversant with the ABC Ringside Medical Handbook.

In addition the British & Irish Boxing Authority are able to call upon a number of specialists Consultants, in the UK and Europe, within the fields of neurology, neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery, ophthalmology and cardiology, which ensures that they have the best treatment available for their license holders as well as are able to keep abreast of developments within these specialist areas.

Rule #2-1. Of The BIBA Rules and Regulations – Medical Advisory Board 

The British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) shall appoint four physicians to serve on a Medical Advisory Board for a term of four years.

The Governor shall designate a member with experience in sports medicine as chairman of the board. Each member shall be paid a per diem rate to be established by the secretary, but not in excess of £100 (€130) per day.

The BIBA Medical Advisory Board shall issue an annual report to the commission, which shall include a review of the health status of each boxer who competed during the prior fiscal year to identify those who may be at risk of serious physical impairment.

The BIBA Medical Advisory Board may recommend changes or additions to the health and safety rules and regulations of the commission and, upon request of the commission, shall review proposed rules and regulations and advise the commission of recommendations with respect to the proposed rules and regulations.

Currently the BIBA Medical Advisory Board Consists of:

Chief Medical Officer: Professor M.R. Graham MBChB; JCPTGP; PhD; FRSM; MPhysoc; BASEM; MICR; MCSFS; PCCMH; APIL Expert; FSB

Deputy CMO (England): Professor Bruce Davies Ph.D, FACSM,

Deputy CMO (Scotland): Professor Julian S Baker Ph.D, D.Sc, FPhysiol, FHBA, FRSB, FICR, C.Biol, C.Sci

Deputy CMO (Wales) Dr. John Pates PhD; Mphil; BA (Jt Hons), PGCE, PDip.

Deputy CMO (Southern Region) Dr. Yousef Rashid  M.D. MB BS (London 1992) MRCGP DFFP RCOG

Chief Medical Officer (Malta) Dr. Mark Xuereb M.D. M.R.C.Psych.(UK) M.C.E.M.(UK) M.M.C.F.D.