Ludwig, the organizer of the Mogul Chessboxing event, has announced the cancellation of the upcoming iteration, labeling it as the “biggest failure” of his career. Despite months of work and being deep into the organization process, the event had to be called off due to the inability to obtain sanctioning from a federally-run athletics commission.
Ludwig explained that both USA Boxing and the Nevada State Athletics Commission declined to sanction Mogul Chessboxing, leaving him and his team unable to proceed with the event. Without proper sanctioning, Ludwig risked legal consequences as amateur sports events are required to be sanctioned by an authorized organization.
The cancellation was primarily caused by the decision to change the event’s location for its second iteration. Ludwig aimed to make it bigger and different, leading to the booking of the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, known as the “fight capital of the world.” However, this change posed challenges in obtaining sanctioning, unlike the previous venue, the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
The unique combination of chess and boxing proved to be a hurdle for the event’s sanctioning. USA Boxing did not consider it Olympic boxing, while the Nevada State Athletic Commission, responsible for sanctioning UFC events, did not view it as a true fighting event. Consequently, neither organization felt that Mogul Chessboxing fell under their jurisdiction.
Two months before the event, the Nevada State Athletic Commission requested a change to a kickboxing and chess format for sanctioning. However, with competitors already training for boxing, changing the discipline so close to the deadline was unrealistic. The team prioritized avoiding risks and ultimately had to drop the event as they couldn’t find a satisfactory solution for the Commission.
Despite the disappointment, Ludwig remains undeterred and has ambitious plans for the future. He expressed his motivation to deliver exceptional shows in 2024.
Source: DOTESPORTS
