British boxer has license suspended because of video comments - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#15080050
More control over free speech in the UK.

British Boxer Billy Joe Saunders has had his boxing license suspended after publishing a social media video in which he appeared to condone domestic violence amid the corona outbreak.

Apparently you need a "license" to box in the UK.

The British Boxing Board of Control said it has investigated Saunders’ comments and decided to suspend his license under the regulations for misconduct. The body says a hearing will take place “at a time and venue to be confirmed as soon as possible.”
He has apologized for his remarks, saying: “It was a silly mistake but I didn't mean to cause any harm to anyone and I certainly wouldn't promote domestic violence.”“There are people dying all around the world with coronavirus and I was just trying to take the heat off that a little bit," Saunders said. "It clearly hasn't done. My sense of humor is not everyone's cup of tea."​

https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory ... s-69873299


That's what happens when the law requires you to have a license to do anything. That license can then be revoked over any reason.
It's about power and control.

We've already seen how gun licenses have been revoked in the UK because of comments people said that authorities did not like.


Here's the video:



"Just want to make a little video, for all you dads, husbands, if you got girlfriends, etc. Obviously this Covid-19 is getting very serious and we're isolated all the way in, you know, very tight spaces. So right... if you your old woman's giving you a little bit of mouth, and you know, you try to... you try to be patient, you try to be calm, cool... but on the seventh day, or sixth day, you gotta say, you're just about to explode. All of sudden she's coming at you, and spitting about of venom in your face, ready to say... you left the dishes out... you may have, I don't know, I don't what you've done, but you've obviously upset her... So as she comes in, she's coming at you, you've lost it, just keep it safe, with the hands. So as she comes in, she's just about to say... So all of a sudden you explode! [He punches punching bag] Bam! on the chin. So you've hit her on the chin. At this time, she may flash and see why thing and what's happened, and why he's done it, 'I can't believe this, why what's happened?' She don't know what's happened. She's in a state of horror, at the minute, she don't know what's gone on, you know that flash has come. You know. And all of sudden, you just dip down on that knee. Whip! [He jabs the punching bag] You spring up! So you finish her off. Bam! That should do the trick."

It sounded like he was just using pent up frustration at a woman as a humorous way to give an example of how to fight an opponent in the ring.
#15080130
He explicitly said, “keep it safe, wif de ands” . It’s obvious the rest was a metaphor for letting out frustration on the bag.

What makes you all so uncomfortable? The fact that women do rush at men spitting venom in their faces? Maybe it’s some women who should have their licenses taken away from them if psychologically, they can’t operate heavy machinery.
#15080200
He was explaining that if your wife nags you, perhaps about not clearing up after yourself , you give her a couple of punches to the face ( and demonstrates with the bag). That should do the trick.

Be careful not to hit so hard you kill her, though.

A suspension seems fair enough to me, and I'm sure to anyone else with one more than one brain cell.
#15080201
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences of said speech. He should have known better than to do this, even as a joke.

Yes, boxing is a privilege and can be revoked. His freedom of speech was not, though.

His suspension is warranted, as he condones spousal abuse.
#15080202
The suspension is likely to be lifted after a hearing under the Board's misconduct. He has two sons with former girlfriend Ruby, including Billy Joe Jr, 12, and 10-year-old Steve. Domestic violence may be the cause of their breakup but he has offered to donate his next fight money for the cause to stop it. It is really a bad timing because the British police warned about the spike in domestic abuse due to social distancing measures.

The 30-year-old was forced into a grovelling apology after the vile clip surfaced, which has caused uproar across the UK.

The board said in a statement: "The British Boxing Board of Control have considered comments made by Billy Joe Saunders on social media.

"We have suspended his boxer's licence, pending a hearing under the Board's misconduct, at a time and venue to be confirmed as soon as possible."

Saunders was in talks for a stunning clash with pound for pound king Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, but his latest ban puts that fight in doubt.

During the video - that went viral on WhatsApp - Saunders demonstrated a straight right hand followed by a left hook on a punch bag.

He says: "I just wanted to make a little video for all you dads, husbands, if you've got girlfriends etc.

"Obviously this Covid-19 is getting very serious and we are isolated away.

"If your old woman is giving you mouth and you try to be patient, you try to be calm, cool, but after the sixth day you're just about to explode.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/11289150 ... men-video/
#15080231
Pants-of-dog wrote:So why should boxing not be regulated?

Do you think that boxing is so inherently harmless that it does not need to be regulated?

It sounds like a lovely idea to priggish guardian readers. They can sit there collecting money from real people with real jobs on the pretence that they are morally superior and what is not to like about that if you are a prig? In practice though it is just a means for pathetic prigs to loot real people with real jobs and then act all superior about it, like they doing everyone a favour. The taxi trade is also burdened with that sort, absolute freeloaders all of them.
#15080289
No. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.

You cannot yell "Fire!", in a packed theatre in the USA, for instance.

Freedom of speech means they won't censor you, but you can still suffer backlash from what you've said.

Call your boss an asshole and when he fires you explain you were just exercising your freedom of speech. That'll work! :lol:
#15080348
SolarCross wrote:It sounds like a lovely idea to priggish guardian readers. They can sit there collecting money from real people with real jobs on the pretence that they are morally superior and what is not to like about that if you are a prig? In practice though it is just a means for pathetic prigs to loot real people with real jobs and then act all superior about it, like they doing everyone a favour. The taxi trade is also burdened with that sort, absolute freeloaders all of them.


So you have no argument.

Have a good one!
#15080359
Pants-of-dog wrote:So you have no argument.

Have a good one!

Nice to see you on the side of gouging and profiteering bureaucrats over honest working class heroes. I guess after your revolution it will not be the Dictatorship by the Proletariat but a Dictatorship by the Prigs instead. Nothing but fines and forms and endless permits to be had for everything from eating to shitting. I want to kill myself now, what licence do I need for that?
Last edited by SolarCross on 31 Mar 2020 20:32, edited 1 time in total.
#15080413
AFAIK wrote:Godstud,
So if I say something the gov't doesn't like and get sent to prison you'd consider that to be freedom of speech?

You're free to say whatever you want but must accept the consequences.


In a liberal democracy, the right to free speech means that the government is not allowed to censor an individual.

In the sense of government reprisal, the right to free speech does include the right to be free of consequences. For example, Trump violated the right to free speech of the staff who testified against him during the impeachment proceedings when he fired them afterwards.

Obviously, the government can punish speech if there is a clear case where the speech has clear negative impacts on others.

In the case of the OP, the governing body of the sport is not a government entity. It is more like a professional order with a mandate to keep the boxers safe and to maintain the integrity of the sport.

And many sports leagues, also like professional orders, can and often do require its members to sign a code of conduct saying that they will follow certain standards of ethics and professionalism.

Under these conditions, a person who says something that violates (or seems to violate) the code of conduct can be expelled from the league.

So, in this case, a person can say whatever they want, and they have to face the consequences, and it is not a violation of free speech.
#15080465
Pants-of-dog wrote:In the case of the OP, the governing body of the sport is not a government entity. It is more like a professional order with a mandate to keep the boxers safe and to maintain the integrity of the sport.

And many sports leagues, also like professional orders, can and often do require its members to sign a code of conduct saying that they will follow certain standards of ethics and professionalism.

Exactly. It seems these people haven't got a clue how professional boxing is run (and has been for decades - the Board is 90 years old), but are happy to pontificate on how there should be no standards of personal conduct for "working class heroes". I suspect they see boxing as a nice diversion for their inferiors, but haven't bothered to find out about it. When the infraction was advice on hitting your partner in an argument, it was really inappropriate for boxing.
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