'We just want answers': Family of boxer who died in ring waits months for investigation

The family of an Edmonton boxer who died after being knocked out in the ring two months ago is still waiting for an investigation to begin and they say the city isn't moving quickly enough.

Tim Hague, 34, died in hospital on June 18, two days after he wasinjured in a fight against former Edmonton Eskimos player Adam Braidwood.

Tim's brother, Ian Hague, said his family hasn't been given a full update on the status of the investigation.

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"It seems like there's nothing happening, and our whole family is just in awe of the lack of investigation," Ian Hague said Friday. "Something needs to be done, and it's not getting done in our eyes."

The Edmonton Combative Sports Commission, which isunder the city's jurisdiction, oversees all professional combative sports in the city. Alberta is the only province in which combative sports commissions are under the jurisdiction of municipal governments.

Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson told reporters Friday the city is still in the process of selecting the independent reviewers for the investigation. He said he expects they will beappointed by next week.

"I hear absolutely from the family a concern about how long it's taking, but they're the ones we have in mind when we say we want a process that is fair, that is transparent, that does have integrity," Iveson said. "That's what Mr. Hague and his family deserve."

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But Hague said hisfamily has been getting the same responsefor the past two months.

He said each time his family has asked the mayor's office about the investigation, they have been told the committee is still being selected.

Edmonton's first UFC event coming up

Edmonton's first Ultimate Fighting Championship event is coming up in September at Rogers Place. The combative sports commission is tasked with overseeing it.

Hague said he worries that the investigation into his brother's death may be delayed because of the UFC event.

"We hope that's not the case because if it all comes down to money, that's pretty disgusting when we've lost our brother and son," he said.

'We just want answers'

As anoilfieldworker, Hague said if the roles were reversed and he died on the job, the job site would be shut down until investigators determined what happened.

That's why he questions whether upcoming Edmonton fights including UFC 215 on Sept. 9 are still slated to go ahead.

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"Things should be postponed a bit until we get some answers," he said.

However, Hague said his family isn't jumping to conclusions about why the investigation is stalled mostly because the city hasn't looped the family in on the progress.

"Whatever the public knows, we know," he said. "We're not drawing any conclusions about what's going on we just want answers."

And though the family has maintained patience with the city and its promised inquiry, Hague said their patience is running out.

"We've stayed quiet here for two months now, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt," he said. "I think the steps have to be taken to light the fire under their ass."

Tim Hague's death raised questions about why combative sports such as boxing and MMAare regulated by municipalities and not by a provincewide commission, as in most other Canadian jurisdictions.

The Alberta government remains hestitant to take action. Iveson said he has been talking to other mayors about joining forces and creating their own provincewide commission.

"I think it's been difficult for any one municipality to do it on its own," Iveson said. "But I think if maybe we can pull together across the province we might be able to move faster than the province itself."

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