Contestant Registration

Register as a controlled sports contestant here

Please ensure you take the below forms along to your doctor, otherwise your application may be delayed or rejected.

• Certificate of Fitness form
• Blood Testing Form, signed by your doctor (if you intend to compete interstate)

Important notes about contestant registration:

• You must be at least 18 years of age to participate as a contestant in registered events. Applicants that are 17 years old, but will be 18 by the time of the contest, are able to apply.
• ACT residents must be registered in the ACT.
• Registrations from NSW, VIC, WA and SA are currently recognised for interstate contestants. There is no need to register in the ACT. You registration will be verified with the relevant state.
• Contestants can register for multiple disciplines in their registration. Please note that if you add an additional discipline to your registration after it has commenced, additional fees apply.
• It is not mandatory to submit a cleared Blood Testing Form to be registered as a controlled sports contestant in the ACT. However, it is recommended that you submit the form, completed by a medical practitioner, with your registration if you wish to compete interstate as other jurisdictions have mandatory serology requirements in place.

Medical requirements for contestant registration

All contestants seeking to be registered must undergo a Certificate of Fitness assessment with a registered medical practitioner. After initial registration, your Certificate of Fitness must be redone 12 months from the date of registration unless you have been directed to do so earlier (for instance, following a medical suspension of your registration).

The Certificate of Fitness assessment (available here in Word or PDF) involves a comprehensive review of your fitness to compete in controlled sports contests, and assesses:

• prior and existing head injuries (including concussions); and
• existing medical conditions that may inhibit your ability to compete;
• risk factors for Blood Borne Viruses (HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C)

Please complete the Certificate of Fitness form and take it to your doctor. You must then upload the completed assessment with your application for registration . Please ensure the doctor has declared you as fit or unfit to compete, otherwise your application may be delayed or rejected.

Serology requirements

Interstate competitions

It is not mandatory to have the Blood Testing Form completed by a medical practitioner for a contestant to be registered in the ACT, unless determined necessary by a medical practitioner on the certificate of fitness form.

If you intend to compete interstate, an up-to-date Blood Testing Form will need to be completed by a medical practitioner and submitted to Access Canberra as it is mandatory to compete in other jurisdictions.

If you do not submit an up-to-date Blood Testing Form to Access Canberra at least 5 (five) business days prior to the event, you may not receive clearance to compete from the combat sports authority in the jurisdiction where the event will be held.

Please do not submit the serology test results to Access Canberra. You must take these results to your medical practitioner and have your medical practitioner complete the Blood Testing Form.

Other states will generally require your most recent serology test to be completed within the 6 months prior to the contest you intend to compete in.

The serology requirements for other states can be found at the below links:

• New South Wales
• South Australia
• Western Australia
• Victoria.

Please note, you will not need to complete the blood testing forms for other jurisdictions. Please only have your medical practitioner complete the ACT Government Blood Testing Form and submit this form to Access Canberra.

ACT controlled sports blood testing policy

It is not mandatory for contestants to complete the blood testing form to be registered as a controlled sports contestant in the ACT. For more information, please see the ACT Blood Testing Policy.

You and your doctor will assess the risk that you have or may have a Blood Borne Virus and determine if testing is necessary. There is a potential risk of blood borne viruses being transmitted during controlled sports from the bleeding or skin wounds of a contestant with a blood borne virus to other contestants via injured skin or mucous membranes. The general consensus among medical professionals is that the likelihood of such transmission is extremely low.

It is recommended that all contestants consider being vaccinated for hepatitis B prior to competing or participating in a controlled sport. Contestants at risk of getting HIV can also speak to their medical practitioner about using PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help them remain HIV negative. For more information about blood testing in the ACT, see the Controlled Sports Blood Testing Policy.

Background checking

All contestants must undergo a criminal background check as part of their registration application to determine whether it is in the public interest for the person to be registered (s13 of the Controlled Sports Act 2019) . Information received as part of this process will be treated in accordance with the Controlled Sports Public Interest Guidelines 2019 (No 1).

Applicants with a criminal history will not be automatically excluded. An assessment will be made in relation to the offence/s or other background information and its relevance to a controlled sports contestant registration application. If you have a criminal history, it is recommended that you apply at least 6 weeks before competing in an event to ensure there is sufficient time for the assessment process to be undertaken. If you have any questions about this process, please contact us using the details below.

Term of Registration

Registrations are valid for a period of three years from the date they are issued.

Contestant Medical Record Book

Once your registration is granted, you will be issued a Contestant Medical Record Book. You must take this with you to ALL contests to ensure the pre-event medical screening can be undertaken by the attending medical practitioner. This includes contests you compete in outside of the ACT.

Should you lose your Contestant Medical Record Book, you must complete a statutory declaration advising you no longer hold the book in order for a replacement to be issued.

IMPORTANT - IF YOU FORGET YOUR MEDICAL RECORD BOOK, YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO COMPETE. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Other Medical Requirements

The Controlled Sports Code of Practice 2024 (No 1) establishes a number of medical requirements relating to contestants. Please ensure you have read and understood the Code of Practice.

Conduct Requirements

All contestants are bound by conduct requirements outlined in the Controlled Sports Code of Practice 2024 (No 1) (clauses 87 and 88). Please ensure you read and abide by these requirements.

Contestant Registration Documents and Links

• Register as a controlled sports contestant
• Certificate of Fitness assessment (please take this to your doctor) (also available in Word)
• Contestant Blood Testing Form (please take this to your doctor) (also available in Word)
• Controlled Sports Code of Practice 2024 (No 1)
• Controlled Sports Public Interest Guidelines 2019 (No 1)

Official Registration

Register as a controlled sports official here.

What is an official?

Under the Act, an official is a:

• judge
• manager
• match maker
• medical practitioner
• promoter
• referee
• second
• timekeeper
• trainer.

Anyone performing these roles for registered events, MUST BE REGISTERED either in the ACT or a recognised jurisdiction (NSW, VIC, SA and WA).

The following describes the classes of licence covered by a Controlled Sports Official or Contestant registration, the scope of activities they can provide and the Public Protection Requirements they must follow in the ACT.

Important notes about official registration

• Promoters must be registered in the ACT, regardless of their place of residence.
• ACT residents must be registered in the ACT.
• Registrations from NSW, VIC, WA and SA are currently recognised for interstate officials (except promoters). There is no need to register in the ACT. You registration will be verified with the relevant state.
• Corporations can apply to be a promoter. For more information about corporation registration, see below underPromoter Corporation Registration.
• Public Protection Requirements that apply (to a Promoter only, for Registered Events) are:
  • Public Liability - minimum $20 million
  • Professional Indemnity - minimum $5 million (covering promoter and officials)
  • Workers’ compensation

Statement of skills

A statement of skills needs to be provided for all applicants that intend to be involved in the regulation of a registrable event. This includes a referee, judge, match maker, trainer and timekeeper.

Given the important role these officials have in ensuring the safety and integrity of an event, a demonstrated understanding and experience in the above roles will need to be provided.

A statement of skills can be provided by a National Sporting Organisation, an Authorised Controlled Sports Body, state Combat Sports Authority or an industry recognised combat sports organisation.

A statement of skills must be provided for each category of official that you are applying for - for example, you may apply to be registered as both a timekeeper and a judge. The statement of skills provided must reflect both categories.

Applicants wishing to be registered as an official in different disciplines (for example, boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Muay Thai etc.) must provide evidence for each discipline. This evidence can be provided by multiple organisations. It is expected that a statement of skills will provide additional evidence to confirmation of accreditation, experience should also be reflected.

Experience may include time registered in another jurisdiction (including number of events officiated), experience in performing the roles at the non-registrable level, shadowing of a more experienced official, training courses or events.

Background checking

All officials must undergo a criminal background check as part of their registration application to determine whether it is in the public interest for the person to be registered (s13 of the Controlled Sports Act 2019) . Information received as part of this process will be treated in accordance with the Controlled Sports Public Interest Guidelines 2019 (No 1).

Applicants with a criminal history will not be automatically excluded. An assessment will be made in relation to the offence/s or other background information and its relevance to a controlled sports official registration application, including for which position/s you apply. If you have a criminal history, it is recommended that you apply at least 6 weeks before participating in an event to ensure there is sufficient time for the assessment process to be undertaken If you have any questions about this process, please contact us using the details below.

Term of Registration

Registrations are valid for a period of three years from the date they are issued.

Conduct Requirements

All officials are bound by conduct requirements outlined in the Controlled Sports Code of Practice 2024 (No 1) (clauses 83 to 86). Please ensure you read and abide by these requirements.

Official documents and links

• Register as a controlled sports official
• Controlled Sports Code of Practice 2024 (No 1)
• Controlled Sports Public Interest Guidelines 2019 (No 1)

Promoter corporation registration

Register as a controlled sports promoter corporation here.

A corporation may apply to be a promoter. Similar requirements apply to individual promoter registration (see above). However, in addition, a corporation application must include:

• the name and business address of the corporation
• the name and address of each relevant person of the corporation
• the financial report and director's report for the corporation from the last financial year
• a declaration from each relevant person for the corporation regarding their criminal background and whether they have ever had an official's or contestant's registration cancelled or suspended
• consent form for each relevant person for criminal background checking (PDF) (also available in Word). You must upload consent to the application form for each relevant person
• photographic ID for each relevant person.

Background checking

All relevant persons to a corporation must undergo a criminal background check as part of the registration application to determine whether it is in the public interest for the person to be registered (s13 of the Controlled Sports Act 2019) . Information received as part of this process will be treated in accordance with the Controlled Sports Public Interest Guidelines 2019 (No 1).

Applicants with a criminal history will not be automatically excluded. An assessment will be made in relation to the offence/s or other background information and its relevance to the application. If you have any questions about this process, please contact us using the details below

Who is a relevant person?

A relevant person to the corporation means -

1. an executive officer of the corporation; or
2. a person who may exercise a relevant power in relation to the corporation

Examples - director, secretary, influential shareholder

Official documents and links

• Register as a controlled sports promoter corporation
• Consent form for each relevant person for criminal background checking
• Controlled Sports Public Interest Guidelines 2019 (No 1)
• Controlled Sports Code of Practice 2024 (No 1)

Renewal of Registrations

Registrations are valid for a period of three years from the date they are issued. Application renewals follow the same process as a new application. The only difference being that a statement of experience is not required for officials.

You can renew your controlled sports official or contestant registration here.

Fees

* Registration is valid for three years.