Boxing should be banned unless rules are tightened, advises Dutch body

The Dutch Health Council, an independent body that advises the parliament and ministers on public health, has said that professional boxing should be banned unless its rules can be tightened quickly to reduce the risk of brain injuries. The advice comes in a new report into brain damage in boxing and soccer, first ordered by the Dutch Ministry of Health in 1998.

Chronic brain damage, the report argues, has been shown in 40% to 80% of professional boxers; and one in eight amateur boxing bouts end in concussion. In professional soccer half of players …