April 30, 2000

Oregon Commission Officers Admit Violations

During a public Commission meeting, the Chairman and the Executive Director of the Oregon State Police Boxing & Wrestling Commission each admitted that the Commission had broken rules and allowed rules and laws to be violated. These statements were made on Friday, April 28, while an investigation of alleged violations was still being conducted by the Oregon State Police.

Following recent reports of major rule violations on a February club show in Portland, a formal complaint was filed, listing 26 specific instances in which Executive Director Jim Cassidy had allowed or committed violations of state and federal laws during six boxing shows in the past year. The complaint by licensed pro boxing judge Denis Ryan was filed with the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Superintendant of State Police, Ron Ruecker, who is the ultimate authority over Commission operations. In response, Governor John Kitzhaber's office ordered an investigation which is being conducted by the Oregon State Police Office of Professional Standards.

During a regular commission meeting at the agency offices in Salem, the Commission Chair, Dr. Louis Rios, M.D. at first dismissed the allegations as a personal matter for the boxing judge who filed the complaint. Later in the meeting, however, Rios said, "We may have broken some rules but we don't blatantly break the rules." He continued, "It's true we have broken rules. We're learning. Every time we correct one thing we fall down in another area."

During his presentation to the Commission, Executive Director Jim Cassidy said he had had some problems, such as in the February bout "where I was not able to check paperwork and I failed to license some individuals, but I can assure you it won't happen again." Cassidy went on to explain that in the past he has extended time lines to allow promoters to get shows together but that "because of what's happened I will be sticking strictly to the time lines," for future events.

As CBZ has reported (March 28 CBZ) during the February 19 club show at the Roseland Theater in Portland, OR, boxer Awel Abdulai tested positive for marijuana but was allowed to fight when a falsified substitute negative drug report was delivered to Executive Director Cassidy. In addition, the promoter and the matchmaker for the event, and a participating cornerman were not licensed by Cassidy as required by Oregon law. The formal complaint filed by boxing judge Denis Ryan traced numerous violations in six club shows in the state over the previous ten months or so since the new Executive Director, Jim Cassidy was hired. The cards listed in the complaint included the Roseland Theater event and five shows promoted by Oregon Trails Promotions. The 26 alleged violations range from allowing three boxers on the National Suspension List to fight on a single card, to failure to enforce a fighters' contract.