Mission

The New York State Athletic Commission is mandated pursuant to Article 41 of the General Business Law of the State of New York, together with the implementing regulations set forth in 19 NYCRR §§ 206-214, to accomplish the following activities with respect to professional boxing, professional mixed martial arts, and other combative sports matches and exhibitions, as well as professional wrestling exhibitions:

  • Review, grant and administer all licenses involved with the Commission's activities, and administratively enforce the laws, rules and regulations pertaining to combative sports and professional wrestling in the State of New York. 
  • Evaluate and enhance the role and work of the Commission by periodically reviewing its rules and activities and recommending changes to law and rule from time to time as deemed necessary and appropriate for the improved regulation and betterment of the sports and activities within the jurisdiction of the Commission.
  • Establish and maintain standards, procedures and protocols in consultation with the Medical Advisory Board demonstrating the Commission's commitment to health and safety within the sports and activities it oversees.
  • Promote integrity, fairness and honest competition in boxing, mixed martial arts and other combative sports, and advance combative sports and professional wrestling through regulation with innovative ideas to ensure that New York State continues to host many great sporting events in accordance with the public policy goals of the State of New York.

Leadership

Kim Sumbler, Executive Director

Kim Sumbler was recently appointed Executive Director of the New York State Athletic Commission. Before joining the Commission, Sumbler had been successfully regulating both amateur and professional combative sports for the Seneca Nation of Indians Athletic Commission. Her experience includes regulating MMA and Boxing on Seneca Nation Territories since the Commission's inception in 2008.

Kim assisted the SNI Department of Justice in developing the SNIAC Rules & Regulations Regarding Unarmed Combat Sports by which the Commission is currently governed. Since that time, she has developed the entire combative sports program including, written department standard operating procedures and related policies, and created all documents, forms and reports necessary to successfully regulate combative sports events within the guidelines of Federally mandated policies.

Sumbler has also been an active member of the Association of Boxing Commissions since 2008 where she was formerly a member of the Tribal Affairs Committee (TAC). As a TAC member, she travelled individually as well as with a team of other committee members to Native American Tribes throughout the United States to assist with initial development of responsible regulatory bodies which includes appropriate regulation of combative sports with an emphasis on the safety of the participants, and maintaining the integrity of the sport. Leading a Commission that predominantly regulates MMA combined with an extensive experiences working with the Tribal Affairs Committee.

Kim has had ample opportunity to cultivate and secure strong relationships with over one hundred qualified MMA officials licensed through the ABC. Over the years, she has continually fostered those relationships and has successfully built a generous pool of trusted officiating staff that consistently demonstrate professionalism and produce the highest quality work.

Sumbler holds a General Arts and Sciences Degree from Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology and a Law and Security Administration Degree also from Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology. She also has had numerous trainings in areas such as Incident Command from the NYC Office of Emergency Management, Code Enforcement and Leadership development from various colleges around the country. She is also member of the Association of Boxing Commissions, the National Fire Protection Association, the National Safety Council, and the Tribal Affairs Committee.
 


Nitin K Sethi, MD, MBBS, FAAN
Chief Medical Officer, New York State Athletic Commission

Nitin K Sethi, MD, MBBS, FAAN is a board certified neurologist with interests in Clinical Neurology, Epilepsy and Sleep Medicine. After completing his medical school from Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), University of Delhi, he did his residency in Internal Medicine (Diplomate of National Board, Internal Medicine) in India. He completed his neurology residency from Saint Vincent's Medical Center, New York and fellowship in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology from Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York. Dr. Sethi is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), Diplomate of American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology (ABCN) with added competency in Central Clinical Neurophysiology, Epilepsy Monitoring and Intraoperative Monitoring, Diplomate of American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) with added competency in Epilepsy, Diplomate of American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology(ABPN) with added competency in Sleep Medicine and also a Diplomate American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)/Association of Ringside Physicians (ARP) and a Certified Ringside Physician. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology (FAAN) and serves on the board of the Association of Ringside Physicians.
 


Angela Gagliardi, MD
Assistant Chief Medical Officer, NY State Athletic Commission

Dr. Angela Gagliardi is board certified in Pediatrics, Sports Medicine and Ringside Medicine. She has obtained her (CAQ) Certificate of Advanced Qualifications in Sports Medicine and is one of the limited number of physicians in the country that is board certified in Pediatric Sports Medicine. Dr. Gagliardi has extensive experience in Pediatric Sports Medicine and served as Chief of Pediatric Sports Medicine at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, Westchester Medical Center in N.Y. She earned her BS degree in Exercise Physiology from Hofstra University, where she also played field hockey. She went on to earn her MD from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. After her internship and residency in general pediatrics at Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, she completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the University of Texas, San Antonio. The Doctor is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Ringside Physicians. She has served as physician for USA Boxing and the New York Marathon as well as strength coach for the New York Jets. Her affiliations include Stevens Institute of Technology, NY State Athletic Commission, NJ State Athletic Control Board, CT State Athletic Control Board, CA State Athletic Commission, Mohegan Sun Department of Athletic Regulation and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Athletic Commission. Dr. Gagliardi has also served as an Officer in the US Army Reserves with the rank of Major. She has special interest in concussion injuries and treatment. Dr. Gagliardi brings the perspectives of the athlete, physiologist, physician, and soldier to the team.