No safeguards when kickboxer, 15, died - coroner

A 15-year-old three-time world kickboxing champion died from a severe traumatic brain injury after an unsanctioned fight which had no safeguards, a coroner has ruled.

Alex Eastwood, from Fazakerley, Liverpool, suddenly collapsed after the charity bout in Wigan against a 17-year-old opponent and died three days later, on 29 June last year.

Coroner Michael Pemberton said the fight was unsanctioned and the safeguards that were meant to exist "simply didn't". He described the regulation of kickboxing as "chaotic and disted".

Alex's family said the inquest had made clear his death was "not a tragic accident", but was "a failure of safeguarding and regulation".

Mr Pemberton, who returned a finding of misadventure, had already taken the unusual step of writing a Prevention of Future Death Report airing his concerns about a lack of regulatory guidance in of any child combat sports.

He said: "During the course of this hearing the evidence has reflected a chaotic and somewhat disted approach in which I'm not satisfied participants or parents are made fully aware of the risks that may ensue."

Kickboxing GB, one of the governing bodies of the sport, said while it did not sanction the Wigan fight, it would consider the coroner's findings carefully and "review policies and procedures accordingly".

Alex, who had just finished his GCSEs at Archbishop Beck RC High School, fought three rounds at the TKMA Gym before becoming seriously unwell.

The coroner said emergency services had done everything they could to try to save him.

Addressing the boy's parents, Mr Pemberton said: "The circumstances of this tragic case have left many numb.

"I'm sure there will be an encore of issues to seek changes on as part of his legacy."

He referred to the lack of pre-bout meeting between the fighters, referee and coaches to lay down the "ground rules" for the bout.

The inquest heard Dale Bannister, organiser and owner of the TKMA gym, said the "ground rules" for the match had been agreed during social media exchanges between himself and Alex's coach as a "light " fight.

But the coroner said: "The planning of the event and lack of risk assessment was sub-optimal in this regard."

Outside the hearing, Alex's step-mother Nikita Eastwood said: "No child should go into a gym to do something they love and not come home.

"What happened to him was not just a tragic accident - the inquest has made clear to us that it was a failure of safeguarding, of responsibility, and of regulation.

"Alex died after a fight that we now see should never have happened."

She said there had been no national governing body involvement, and no clear or enforced safety standards, adding: "Alex's death must be a line in the sand so that these failures change."

The family called for "national protections for children in combat sports".

Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has written to the coroner and said officials in her department were now looking at the best way to address the concerns raised about the safety of children taking part in combat sports.

Ian Hollett, Alex's coach from Hurricane Combat and Fitness said the club was "utterly devastated" by the loss of a "wonderful, kind and exceptionally talented boy".

He added: "We thank the coroner for his thorough investigation and fully welcome any recommendations made that will help prevent another tragedy like this happening again."

The club's solicitor, David Pearson, said: "This unimaginable tragedy has brought into sharp focus the need for further regulation in all combat sports involving children across the country."

Kickboxing GB said: "Whilst the event which Alex attended was not a Kickboxing GB sanctioned event, we have provided assistance to the coroner throughout this inquest."

The body said it would consider the coroner's findings carefully and "review policies and procedures accordingly".

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