Dana White Defends Power Slap After CTE Concerns – ‘We’re All Gonna Die’
Dana White defended Power Slap after the promotion came under fire over safety concerns.
Power Slap involves fighters slapping each other with the aim of making the other competitor quit. While it does produce highlight knockouts, it has been criticized for increasing the chances of CTE. This is a major issue in combat sports, especially when it comes to boxing. Symptoms often involve slurred speech and loss of memory. Given the lack of aftercare for fighters once they retire, Power Slap has been scrutinized . White has defended the sport, stating that people have a choice as to whether they participate or not.
White Reacts
“I used to box when I was younger. I went in and I did one of those brain studies. [And] I have black spots all over my brain from what I did. I wouldn’t take one back one punch. Not one. …… And the doctors all talk about, ‘Somebody could die’—I got news for all the doctors. We’re all gonna die. How do you want to live your life? What do you love and what are you passionate about?,” White said
Nevertheless, some changes could be implemented to make it safer. Protective gear could be introduced to minimize the risk of CTE. Options such as headgear and mouth guards would lower the impact of injuries. However, that may diminish the spectacle of the sport.
Equally, an increase in medical personnel may solve issues. Getting the competitor checked regularly after each slap allows the fighter and medical personnel to make an informed choice of whether they should continue. That often gets lost in the heat of the battle, with fighters putting themselves at risk without thinking about the wider ramifications. But that would result in a disruption to the event.
Possible Changes
There could be a longer recovery period between each slap, allowing the competitors to regain their senses. Repeated blows to the face only increase the risk of brain trauma. However, allowing additional recovery time extends the possible bout, meaning that there is more chance of sustained punishment.
Wider training and medical checks may ensure fighters are regularly monitored. However, increasing medical testing and intervention requires more money. The promotional outfit would have to justify it, while fighters may be reluctant to go on board if that would mean taking more money from their bottom line. Regardless, there is work that needs to be done. A study took place in 2020 showing that only 6 percent of those coaching in combat sports had the requisite knowledge of concussions.
“Merely 5.7% of coaches properly recognized the level of traumatic brain injury a concussion represents, 68.8% were unfamiliar with any sideline assessment tools, and only 14.3% often seek out concussion knowledge.”
In a sport where lives can change, more needs to be done to educate those in the field. That will in turn reassure fans that fighters are not being put at risk.
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