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Posted on 06/10/2006 2:20:55 AM PDT by freepatriot32
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A professional wrestler claimed Friday that the state is intruding on her privacy by requiring her to provide proof from her doctor that she is not pregnant within a week of every match.
Julie Utley also said pregnancy testing is too expensive for many women to continue participating in the sport. She estimated it would cost her at least $60 a month for tests.
The rule took effect in November and is part of state requirements for licensing contact sports such as professional boxing, wrestling and martial arts.
Utley, 19, said she has not wrestled since March, when she first became aware of the rule, because she refuses to submit to a pregnancy test.
The Missouri Office of Athletics held a hearing Friday but made no decision on whether to change the rule. The office licenses about 900 boxers and wrestlers, about 100 of them women.
Misti Preston, a spokeswoman for the Department of Economic Development, which oversees the office, said the change did not result from a particular incident. Preston said state officials just wanted to be in line with requirements in many other states.
Opponents said if the state's motive is legal protection, it could make wrestlers sign a waiver saying they will not sue if they get hurt.
"There is a lot of punishment in professional wrestling. I knew the risk. I knew I was going to get injured," Utley said. "That was my personal responsibility. This rule takes control away from me."
Tony Rothert, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri, called the rule "an impediment to equality."
In particular, he said, requiring the test to be performed by a doctor, rather than allowing women to use tests sold over the counter, and demanding results so often are troubling.
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
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There are circumstances I guess where wrestling might actually lead to a pregnancy...
Is the object of this to protect unborn babies? That's real sincere, eh? It's okay for mom to abort that thing, just don't take a chance on hurting it by wrestling.
Assuming that there is no such requirement for amatuer sports?
And that 13 year old little Susie who plays hockey on the boys team and her 18 year old sister who competes on the college karate team don't have to prove they're not guilty of being pregnant?
They'll always say it's "for the children" but this one's clearly to protect certain parties from liability.
No pics?
She doesn't have to spend 60 bucks a month. Just pee in a cup and let them stick an EPT tester in there!
I'll let you decide.
The rule...is part of state requirements for licensing...
One could think of licensing as an avenue to 'revenue enhancement', 'guvment worker job security' & 'we got your DNA on file'...
Missouri Professional Sports License Fee Schedule
Effective July 1, 2003, all persons and business entities renewing a license with the Division of Professional Registration are required to have paid all state income taxes, and also are required to have filed all necessary state income tax returns for the preceding three years.
If you have failed to pay your taxes or have failed to file your tax returns your license will be subject to suspension within 90 days of being notified by the Missouri Department of Revenue of any delinquency or failure to file. This requirement was enacted in House Bill 600 of the 92nd General Assembly (2003), and was signed into law by the Governor on July 1, 2003.
If you receive a House Bill 600 letter from us you will need to contact the Department of Revenue at (573) 751-7200 and get the tax issue resolved with their office.
Once the issue is resolved with the Department of Revenue, they will provide you with a letter of tax compliance. Once you receive the letter of tax compliance, fax it to your respective board office immediately. Please check the board web page for the appropriate fax number.
BuHuHaHa!
How silly of me. Of course it's always about the money. Well, maybe not on the surface but that's always the underlying factor. Like Rush says.....
What ever happenned to the "laboratories of democracy" concept??? Why does every state think the sky is going to fall if they don't have exactly the same regulations every other state has? Doesn't that kind of defeat the whole concept?
The old "news" media is DEAD.
They just aren't bright enough to know it.
Listen to them cry out in agony.
Wrong thread. Sorry.
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