Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Gubernatorial Appointment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State Affairs committee hears Ryan Lanham on nomination as state athletic commissioner
Summary
Gubernatorial nominee Ryan Lanham told the State Affairs committee he has more than 20 years in combat sports and would prioritize athlete safety and fair oversight if confirmed; the committee will likely vote on his appointment at its next meeting.
Ryan Lanham, the gubernatorial nominee for state athletic commissioner, appeared before the State Affairs committee for a brief confirmation hearing and described more than two decades of experience in combat sports.
Lanham, who identified himself as the owner of a boxing gym in Meridian and a coach and corner man with ‘‘20 plus years’’ in the field, told the committee he sees athlete safety and fair matchmaking as the commission’s central responsibilities. "I think that's a core component of what the commission provides is safety at all levels of the events of all combat sports," Lanham said.
Chair Senator Jim Guthrie introduced the appointment and read the term dates included in the nomination: a term commencing March 12, 2025, and expiring Oct. 1, 2026. Guthrie told the committee the panel generally votes on appointments at a later meeting; he said this nomination will likely be on the agenda for the next session.
Lanham described direct experience in competition and event oversight: he said he had two amateur boxing fights — "I won one, and I lost one" — and that he has cornered both amateur and professional bouts for athletes ranging from roughly age 12 into their mid-30s. He said he has been recommended for the deputy-commissioner role by the incumbent and emphasized impartiality despite owning a local gym.
When asked what Idaho would look like without an athletic commission, Lanham said promoters focused primarily on staging events and revenue might not give the same attention to weight-cutting, medical oversight and fair matchups. "If you take the commission away and you put that responsibility on the promoters ... that's a significant risk to the fighters," he said.
On the committee’s question about the future of combat sports, Lanham said he would welcome more professional boxing and additional disciplines if they can be safely regulated. He drew a line at contests he would not consider sports, using "power slap" as an example and saying it lacks the ability to defend and therefore would not meet his criteria for commission oversight.
Lanham thanked the senators for the opportunity. Chair Guthrie closed the consideration by reminding members that the committee "generally vote[s] on these appointments in the next meeting," indicating no confirmation occurred at this session.
The committee did not vote on the nomination during this meeting; a vote is expected at the panel’s next convening.
