A. M. N. TSHIBANGU
Materials and Method
We have compared the means of concussion prevention used
in educational boxing with similar means used in other sports
practiced by children and adolescents. The former means are
reported in the first peer reviewed article on educational boxing
(Mukala Nsengu Tshibangu, 2009). The latter means are re-
ported in a more recent peer reviewed article written by the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a clinical report on
sport-related concussion in children and adolescents (Halstead,
Walter, & Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2010).
Results
Most of Means Use d wi th the Aim of Preventing
Sport-Related Concussion in Children and
Adolescents Are Also Practiced in Educational
Boxing
The AAP has recently published a clinical report on sport-
related concussion in children and adolescents. Let us express
our satisfaction to note that most of means signaled in the arti-
cle to prevent sport-related concussion in children and adoles-
cents are also practiced in educational boxing.
The AAP article says that modifications to protective gear,
rule changes, trying to identify athletes at risk, and continuing to
educate everyone involved with youth and high school sports
about the dangers of concussions are attempts that have been
made to reduce concussion for athletes (Halstead, Walter, &
Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2010). An article pro-
posing educational boxing as means of preventing boxing-de-
rived injuries (Mukala Nsengu Tshibangu, 2009) 1) signals the
presence of protective gear in the uniform of educational boxe rs;
2) summarizes the rules that govern educational boxing before
giving the reasons why the author expects great safeness from
educational boxing practice compared to amateur and profess-
sional boxing; 3) signals the medical examination given to ex-
clude candidates for whom boxing constitutes a contraindica-
tion, and examples of medical examinations that have been pro-
posed to detect boxing derived health damages; 4) speaks,
among other things, of punishment given to educational boxers
for unsportsmanlike behaviors; 5) speaks of correct social be-
havior that must be imparted t o the pupils by the coaches; an d 6)
speaks of the existence of appropriate exercises that must be
performed by the newcomer in educational boxing so as to be
able to land a fast and correct fist that does not hurt the oppo-
nent. Mouth guard comprises the uniform of educational boxers
(Mukala Nsengu Tshibangu, 2009) and is signaled in the AAP
article to be recommended to reduce dental trauma, but the
article notes that further studies are needed to evaluate its role
in reducing the risk of concussions (Halstead, Walter, & Coun-
cil on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2010). Head guard com-
prises the uniform of educational boxers (Mukala Nsengu Tshi-
bangu, 2009) and helmets are signaled in the AAP article which
notes that reduction in concussion incidence has not been con-
sistently seen, despite their use (Halstead, Walter, & Council on
Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2010). Genetic testing is signaled
only in the AAP article which notes that at this time genetic
testing is not recommended for evaluating young athletes with
concussion (Halstead, Walter, & Council on Sports Medicine
and Fitness, 2010). Further research is needed to increase
availability of data on concussion, to increase knowledge of
long-term effects of concussion, what is necessary for further
guidance to athletes of all ages, says the AAP article (Halstead,
Walter, & Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2010). The
author of the article on educational boxing ends it expressing
the need of scientific experience- and/or observations-yielded
data that will permit support or reject the apparent and declared
total safeness of educational boxing practice (Mukala Nsengu
Tshibangu, 2009). The recognition of place for future efforts to
make infants, children and adolescents sports safer is shared by
the authors of both the AAP and educational boxing articles.
That is consistent with the recognition of the efforts to make
boxing safer, shared by those who recommend boxing banning
(American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Sports Medi-
cine, & Fitness, 1999) and by those who are favorable to the
prevention of boxing risks (Aubry, Cantu, Dvorak, Graf-Bau-
mann, Johnston, Kelly, et al., 2002).
Contrary to Many Sportsmen and Spor tswome n ,
Educational Boxers Are Obliged to Have the Control
of a Direct Cause of Concussion: While Boxing, They
Land Exclusively Light Touches Instead of Blows to
the Opponent They Are Aimed to Win
While roller skating, one may fall down a hard surface and
thus suffer a concussion. The hard surface is not going to be
punished by the referee for that. In football, a concussion may
result from the collision between a struck and a striking player.
In the case that the latter have struck the former unintentionally,
no punishment is going to be given by the referee. In amateur
or in professional boxing, concussion may result from a hard
blow of any of the opposed boxers. The boxer who has landed
the blow is not going to be punished if the blow is landed in the
legal period on the legal target surface, but the boxer is going to
be rewarded. In those three cases, the direct cause of concus-
sion is the hard surface, the striking football player and the
blow of the boxer, respectively. As far as we know, neither the
hard surface nor the unintentional striker has the control of
collision force of the impact, contrary to the rewarded boxer.
Though the amateur and professional boxer need not have the
control of collision force produced by the fists they land their
opponents, however, the educational boxer is punished when-
ever he lands or only seems to be about to land a blow instead
of a light touch.
Discussion
The Possible Occurrence of an Unintentional Hard
Counter-Punch Is Not to Be Totally Excluded in
Educational Boxing
An educational boxing club may be joined already at age 8 in
France (Fédération Française de Boxe, 2004). Despite the fact
that educational boxers are punished whenever they are respon-
sible of acts that have just injured or are likely to injure their
opponents (Mukala Nsengu Tshibangu, 2009), the possible
occurrence of an unintentional hard counterpunch is not to be
excluded. Therefore, the possible occurrence of a resulting
concussion, as well, is not to be excluded. While refereeing an
educational boxing match, we witnessed what follows. Proba-
bly aimed to land a hook or an uppercut light touch, an educa-
tional boxer was trying to get closer to his opponent while the
last mentioned was trying to land him a straight light touch.
The expected straight light touch turned to a blow responsible
of face bleeding. The unexpected blow could as well, we think,
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