MATT HAMILL CLEARED TO COMPETE WITH STAPH!?

Ask the Fight Doc: Should Matt Hamill have been medically cleared despite Staph?
by Dr. Johnny Benjamin on Jun 20, 2010 at 1:35 pm ET
Aside from Court McGee being crowned "The Ultimate Fighter 11" champion, the biggest news coming out of this past weekend's UFC event was Matt Hamill's clearance to fight despite an active Staph infection.

Hamill appeared at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale weigh-ins on Friday with a noticeable lesion on his lower back, and following his win over Keith Jardine on Saturday, he and Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer confirmed the infection.

In his latest "Ask the Fight Doc" installment, MMAjunkie.com medical columnist Dr. Johnny Benjamin wonders how that was possible and why so many others were unnecessarily put at risk.

* * * *

Dr. B: I love your articles and appreciate the fact that you will tackle the controversial topics and not wuss out or give the politically correct, popular answers. What did you make out of Matt Hamill being allowed to fight with a Staph infection? – Anonymous

Thank you for the kind words, and I definitely "call 'em like I see 'em."

When I saw Matt Hamill at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale weigh-ins with the suspicious lesion on his back, I found it quite obvious that it very well may be a Staph skin infection.

I then incorrectly concluded that there would be no possible way that he would be cleared to fight and potentially expose his opponent and everyone that entered the octagon after him to his contagious infection.

Once again, Staph skin infections and the more aggressive MRSA form are contagious and potentially very dangerous. Soft-tissue debridement (surgical removal), organ damage, amputation and death are very possible outcomes.

As I have written many times before, I have the utmost respect for Keith Kizer, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) executive director. Mr. Kizer did exactly what he was supposed to do when he was alerted to the suspicious rash. He ordered his medical expert to assess the situation and to advise him on the most prudent course of action.

In my opinion, the NSAC was victim of a poor medical decision. Furthermore, every athlete (including Hamill) and referee that entered the octagon – with or after Hamill – was unnecessarily exposed to a potentially very serious and deadly infection by the "licensed doctor" who cleared him to compete.

Can I be any clearer?

As a physician tasked with the responsibility of promoting player/fighter safety, deciding to allow a clearly infected athlete to compete is astonishing to me. As a doctor, if there is any significant question in your mind regarding an athlete's health, you must err on the side of caution and disallow the fighter in question. The potential risks do not outweigh the potential benefit.

"Physician, first do no harm."

I am certain that I will be blasted for my assertions, but it will not be the first time. As a surgeon, I am accustomed to having my thought processes, decisions and actions challenged and critiqued. It is part of what I do.

This is not a failing of the NSAC or UFC president and event promoter Dana White. This shouldn't have been a difficult determination as a physician. An unpopular disqualification? No doubt. But clearly warranted, nonetheless. I don't know the identity of the physician, and it doesn't matter. Poor judgment is poor judgment regardless of stature.

Mr. Kizer and Mr. White: You should challenge my opinion and ask three board-certified orthopedic surgeons and three fellowship-trained infectious-disease specialists to go on the record and answer this simple question: If you examined a wrestler with an untreated active Staph skin infection, would you allow him to compete?

Dr. Johnny Benjamin is MMAjunkie.com's medical columnist and consultant and a noted combat-sports specialist. He is also a member of the Association of Boxing Commissions' MMA Medical Subcommittee. Dr. Benjamin writes an "Ask the Doc" column every two weeks for MMAjunkie.com. To submit a question for a future column, email him at askthedoc [AT] mmajunkie.com, or share your questions and thoughts in the comments section below. You can find Dr. Benjamin online at www.drjohnnybenjamin.com, and you can read his other sports-related articles at blog.drjohnnybenjamin.com.

-WOW, never saw that coming. I missed the show and it blew my mind when I read this.

Pictures- http://mmajunkie.com/news/19621/ask-the-fight-doc-should-matt-hamill-hav...