City of Edmonton seeks dismissal of $5M lawsuit connected to boxer's death

The City of Edmonton and EdmontonEconomic Development Corporation (EEDC)are denying any wrongdoing in the 2017 death of boxer Tim Hague.

Both organizations have filed statements of defence after being named in a $5 million lawsuit related to Hague's death.

The statements say that Hague entered the ring willfully despite knowing he was not medically cleared to fight. The city and the EEDC are both asking for the lawsuit to be dismissed.

Hague died in 2017, two days after being knocked out in a boxing match at the Edmonton Conference Centre, which was then the Shaw Conference Centre.

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Hague was able to walk from the ring to his dressing room but he then lapsed into a coma. He was taken off of life support and died two days later.

Hague's brother Ian, who is now the executor of his estate, filed a lawsuit in June that named the City of Edmonton along with the city's Combative Sports Commission,former commission director, the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, promotion company K.O. Boxing and officials connected to the match.

Among the allegations included in the suit were that the event didn't haveappropriate emergency plans, adequate medical staff or ambulances and that Hague should've been suspended ahead of the fight, due to his medical and fight history.

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TheEEDC's statement of defencespecifically denies failing "in any way with respect to safety and emergency planning." The EEDC also denies that it had any role in or obligation to arrange for medical staff or ambulances at the event.

Following Hague's death, the city brought in a three-month long ban on combative sports in Edmonton. A third-party report was also commissioned later that year by the city.

That report found several policies had not been followed during the fight. It also recommended a provincial commission be set up to oversee combative sports in Alberta.