CSAC approves limited ambulance waiver for USFL events where EMS response is quick
March 09, 2026 | Respiratory Care Board of California, Boards and Commissions, Executive, California
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The California State Athletic Commission voted to approve a limited waiver of the on-site-ambulance requirement for United States Fight League (USFL) youth events, subject to jurisdictional EMS response-time conditions and staff oversight.
Staff told commissioners the commission granted a similar waiver to USA Boxing last year and that the USFL had a low transport history. Andy Foster recommended granting the waiver with annual review. Commissioner Wech urged caution, saying the number of transports alone is not a reliable safety metric and recommending waivers be conditioned on local response times rather than bout counts. He cited a 2025 report he summarized as showing an average EMS response time in California of about 17.8 minutes and argued the jurisdiction’s response capability should guide decisions.
Joe Stevenson, representing the United States Fight League, said USFL events prioritize safety: no head strikes, headgear for youth, on-site physicians and first responders, and training to discourage weight cutting. Stevenson told the commission USFL had 5,390 competitor exposures since 2014 with 76 minor injuries and, for the events cited, no ambulance transports.
After public comment (including Johnny Davis urging ambulances at all full‑contact amateur events), a commissioner moved to approve a waiver for events conducted in jurisdictions with a 20‑minute-or-less EMS response time; the motion was seconded, called for no additional public comment, and passed by roll call with commissioners voting to carry the motion.
The waiver is conditioned on the executive director’s criteria and is to be reviewed annually. The commission emphasized decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis and that staff must document the analysis for each approved waiver.
Next steps: staff will draft the waiver criteria that implement the response-time threshold and publish them for the public; waivers will be revisited at least annually.
Staff told commissioners the commission granted a similar waiver to USA Boxing last year and that the USFL had a low transport history. Andy Foster recommended granting the waiver with annual review. Commissioner Wech urged caution, saying the number of transports alone is not a reliable safety metric and recommending waivers be conditioned on local response times rather than bout counts. He cited a 2025 report he summarized as showing an average EMS response time in California of about 17.8 minutes and argued the jurisdiction’s response capability should guide decisions.
Joe Stevenson, representing the United States Fight League, said USFL events prioritize safety: no head strikes, headgear for youth, on-site physicians and first responders, and training to discourage weight cutting. Stevenson told the commission USFL had 5,390 competitor exposures since 2014 with 76 minor injuries and, for the events cited, no ambulance transports.
After public comment (including Johnny Davis urging ambulances at all full‑contact amateur events), a commissioner moved to approve a waiver for events conducted in jurisdictions with a 20‑minute-or-less EMS response time; the motion was seconded, called for no additional public comment, and passed by roll call with commissioners voting to carry the motion.
The waiver is conditioned on the executive director’s criteria and is to be reviewed annually. The commission emphasized decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis and that staff must document the analysis for each approved waiver.
Next steps: staff will draft the waiver criteria that implement the response-time threshold and publish them for the public; waivers will be revisited at least annually.
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