Amir Khan’s union the GFA hires £500-an-hour silk to probe fighters’ rights

Amir Khan’s trade union for combat sports, the Global Fighters’ Association, has hired top barrister Jonathan Caplan KC to lead an investigation into boxing and MMA. The GFA is aiming to raise £500,000 through crowdfunding to complete its certification as a union and launch the three-month inquiry into the safety, governance and treatment of fighters in all combat sports. Caplan, whose hourly rate for legal work is more than £500, is regarded as an expert on health and safety and regulatory justice inquiries, and will produce a report setting out what changes are needed to give fighters the same protections and rights as other athletes. Over the last decade or so, professional sports such as rugby, football and horse racing have raised their game when it comes to the welfare of the participants,” said GFA chair designate Simon Bazalgette. “They recognise that the brand of the sport increasingly depends on demonstrating that best-in-class welfare underpins any aspiration t