Health department approves Muay Thai boxing event at Melbourne Pavilion during lockdown

Grassroots sports have been cancelled and gyms closed for weeks, but the health department gave the all-clear for a boxing event during strict lockdown.

The Victorian health department permitted a Thai boxing event to be held in locked-down Melbourne, at a time when grassroots sports have been sidelined and gyms have been closed for weeks.

The crowd-free fight night was held indoors at the Melbourne Pavilion in Kensington on Sunday night and livestreamed to more than 600 people.

The eight professional bouts were conducted under the restricted activity directions allowed for professional sports events.

It was held as suburban leagues and kids’ sport have been cancelled and gyms closed since the start of Melbourne’s hard lockdown early last month, raising concerns from medical experts.

The Father’s Day event met all health department regulations and no breaches occurred.

The Health Department said the fighters at the Muay Thai competition fit within the category of “professional or high-performance sports persons”.

The event was held behind closed doors and without a crowd at Melbourne Pavilion on September 5. Picture: W.L. Fight Photography

The department liaised with the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board about running the event safely.

Victoria Police confirmed they attended on the night and found no breach of public health orders.

Sy Nadji of Rebellion Muay Thai said approval was given for the Roots 15 event by the Department of Health last Thursday.

“We had a lot less people here than you’d have at the horseracing,’’ Mr Nadji said.

A total of 69 people attended on the night, he said, but no more than 50 people would have been inside the venue at any time because fighters arrived and left according to their bout time.

Organisers followed all the Covid-safe protocols, Mr Nadji said. Everyone signed a declaration form saying they had not been to any exposure sites, he said.

The event was livestreamed to more than 600 people. Picture: W.L. Fight Photography

Melbourne emergency physician Dr Stephen Parnis said he doubted the benefit of holding the event even during lockdown.

“This is an example of where the letter of the law and the spirit of the law is different,’’ Dr Parnis said.

Tim Schleiger, spokesman for gym industry lobby group Vic Active, said the health department didn’t supply data to justify any of its announcements such as the recent playground ban.

“This boxing event was approved for whatever reason; why is it OK that these decisions are made without an explanation.

“We want gyms to open to address the physical and mental catastrophe.’’