Experts fear boxing children risk brain damage

Experts fear boxing children risk brain damage

Muay Thai's popularity may come at a price

Young Muay Thai fighters perform the wai khru ceremony before a Bangkok exhibition. Medical experts are concerned about dangers in the sport. (File photo by Thiti Wannamontha)
Young Muay Thai fighters perform the wai khru ceremony before a Bangkok exhibition. Medical experts are concerned about dangers in the sport. (File photo by Thiti Wannamontha)

While Muay Thai has gained popularity internationally, the increasing number of boys and girls engaging in the sport from an early age has raised concerns about the risk of brain damage.

It has become increasingly common for children younger than 15 to take part in tournaments in front of hundreds of spectators.

Despite the latest medical research in Thailand showing adverse effects on the brains of young boxers, some boxing professionals, parents and medical professionals beg to differ.

"Muay Thai is a sport you can learn at a very young age," said Somchai Somboon, a Muay Thai trainer at Sor Buk Buek Muay Thai Gym in Hua Hin. "Starting early makes you stronger and more experienced so you can become a good boxer in the future."

"Training in Muay Thai from an early age is normal here in Thailand."

The 46-year-old trainer, who has practised Muay Thai since he was 13, said he has looked after child boxers for many years and staunch safety procedures are in place during both training and fighting.

Mr Somchai said spectators like to watch child boxing because children do not pretend or fix matches like some adults. They are "innocent and fight with pure spirit", making their bouts more interesting.

But he admitted there was money involved as the number of tournaments across the country increases as child boxing gains popularity.

He said passion was the main reason children want to learn Muay Thai and they love to train and fight. He said it is true many of them fight for money to care of their families but "the passion always comes first". Mostly, children will start training when they turn nine or 10 years old, he said.

However, a concerning side of the yin and yang regarding sport for children -- for example the risks of brain damage -- have worried many parents after hearing the results of medical research.

The research shows abnormalities appearing on the brains of child fighters compared with children who don't take up the sport.

Studies conducted by the Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Centre (AIMC) and Injury Prevention Research Centre (CSIP) of Ramathibodi Hospital compared brain ability and capacity of 200 children who don't play the sport and 300 child boxers who had boxed for more than two years.

AIMC director Jiraporn Laothamatas said the study involved children aged below 15 from the same economic background.

After reviewing MRI brain scans of the children, the results found the aggregate brain size of the children remained the same regardless of whether they fought; however a lower IQ was reported among child boxers.

The IQ of the group of child boxers was significantly lower than the group of general children and the lower IQ correlated with the duration of boxing, Professor Jiraporn said.

The group of child boxers with more than five years' experience had an average IQ of 88, 10 points lower than standard IQ levels, she said.

The study also found more abnormalities in the structure of the brain, including tearing of branch-like projections of neurons, among child boxers than children who didn't box.

"We are Thai. We love and respect Muay Thai but we have to put in place protective measures as research indicates that involvement in child boxing can risk serious brain damage to fighters,'' she said.

"Not only is it important that we focus on the safety of the children involved, we have to make sure the system of Muay Thai is capable of protecting them from any medical complications later in life."

She said children's brains are growing and changing and are susceptible to greater damage. This has been demonstrated by the significantly lower IQ scores and the possibility they will suffer from Alzheimer's disease later in life.

A boxing trainer instructs a 7-year-old girl in Muay Thai boxing. Some experts fear children are at risk of brain damage if they are hit too hard in the ring. File photo

Prof Jiraporn said child boxing matches in Thailand were often conducted under the same rules as adult matches, including the time of the fights. She said many children did not use safeguards, for example head protection. About 30% of the child boxers have a fight every week.

Wattanachai Kaewpha, a trainer at Amazing Muay Thai Gym and Fitness, Hua Hin, argued there is always protection for children when they fight or train in Muay Thai. In most cases, they will fight with children of the same weight, and serious injuries are rare.

"Children do not have that much power to hurt an opponent badly," Mr Wattanachai said. "If the boxers have been well-trained and well-prepared before the fight, the chance of injury is quite small.

"The most important role is the referee. Referees will stop the fight immediately if they see any serious harm to youngsters."

He added that after one fight, boxers will rest for about one or two weeks. If fighters get knocked out, they will have to rest for a month; two knock-outs means resting for three months.

Muay Thai is called the "art of eight limbs" as it uses eight points of contact: Hands, elbows, knees and feet when punching and kicking, he said. "And we have to accept the fighting looks aggressive, especially with children."

Young fighter Siripat "Night" Kamkom is now 11. He has been boxing since he was five and said he had fought about 30 times and won more than 20 fights.

Under the coaching of Mr Wattanachai, Night, whose boxing alias is "Buakaw Noi Amazing Muay Thai" is paid about 800 baht to 1,000 baht per fight. Mr Wattanachai insisted the gym will not keep the money -- Night gets to keep all of it.

Asked why he enrolled in Muay Thai boxing, Night replied: "Because I love it. I want to be a professional Muay Thai fighter in the future." He said Sombat Banchamek, known as Buakaw, one of the most famous Muay Thai fighters on an international scale, was his idol.

Night said he is not afraid of risks and not concerned about brain damage. He said: "I am not afraid of those injuries. When you fight you will get hurt anyway. It is normal in Muay Thai."

Rungratchanee Kamkom, mother of the youngster Buakaw Noi, said she would never stop her son from doing what he loves. The main intent is to expose her children to some form of exercise because Night fell ill often in the past, but now her son is "a strong boy with a big heart".

"I always support him. He loves training and fighting Muay Thai. I don't see any reason to not let him do it,'' she said.

Asked about the risks of brain damage that child boxers can get, she said: "I don't think so. My son always gets good grades and I am not worried about the risks; in fact, I am proud of my son. I trust the trainer to take good care of Night."

Professor Prasert Boongird, a doctor from the Neurology Division of Ramathibodi Hospital, however, said many child boxing matches lack head protection to save children.

He said head impacts should not be allowed for children aged under 13 while those under nine should not be allowed to box.

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