The long fight to get mixed martial arts legalized in New York may not be as close to over as many thought earlier this year. The New York Daily News is reporting that the handling of sexual harassment complaints by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has upset a number of women’s groups which also oppose the legalization of MMA. The theory is that this, in turn, will mean that Silver and the assembly may decide against legalizing the sport, an action that could further upset those groups.
Here’s a bit from the article:
Women’s groups that have long opposed the sport, calling it sexist and barbaric, are upset at Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver for his mishandling of sexual harassment complaints against [Vito] Lopez.
A source close to Silver said passing a mixed martial arts law now might further inflame the women’s groups — as well as exacerbate tensions between Silver and several assemblywomen that have developed since the scandal.
“I don’t think this is the year,” the source said. “I think it’s unlikely.”
There is a lot of maneuvering politically that is constantly happening in these scenarios, so it’s always hard to totally get a read on the situation.
It could be the case that MMA’s legalization is delayed as a defensive maneuver against these “women’s groups.” It could be that it’s a situation that the assembly just generally isn’t in the mood to deal with and found a good excuse to delay legalization because they simply don’t want to legalize the sport. Or, maybe nothing comes of it and MMA ends up regulated in New York because it is eventually going to happen either way.
This is merely one more chapter in the long running saga.