MMA: City Kickboxing disband lockdown bubble after being served warning notice by police

City Kickboxing's Covid-19 bubble has been disbanded following a warning notice from police. Photo / Photosport

A makeshift bubble set up to allow New Zealand MMA athletes to continue preparations for their upcoming events has been disbanded after being served with a warning notice by police.

Kiwi UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker and several other members of Auckland's City Kickboxing gym had made their home at the gym in order to continue training for events, including Hooker's next UFC appearance at UFC 266 in late September.

In a statement to the Herald, City Kickboxing coach and spokesperson Mike Angove said they believed their set-up was in compliance with Covid-19 protocols, with police having checked it during the 2020 level 3 lockdown, but confirmed the athletes had been sent home.

"Since lockdown began we've done at least four media interviews where we have mentioned we were in a lockdown camp in the gym - in other words it was no secret, and we were of the understanding we were in compliance with Covid-19 regulations.

"On Thursday evening we received a visit from police who advised us that due to a change in interpretation, our lockdown camp no longer complied with lockdown regulations. As a consequence we have disbanded the camp last night to ensure we remain compliant."

It was the same set-up the gym implemented when the country went into level 3 lockdown in 2020. Israel Adesanya, Shane Young, Kai Kara-France and Brad Riddell had UFC bouts to prepare for, so made themselves comfortable on the mats with a handful of others.

"As several professional City Kickboxing athletes had bouts scheduled in the next eight weeks we opted to shift them and their training partners into the gym to operate as a single bubble, in what we understood to be compliance with Covid-19 lockdown requirements.

"We had done this in the previous lockdown and had received a visit from the police to check the situation, which they approved and allowed to operate. In addition that lockdown camp had several national and international news stories written about it," Angove said.

Hooker spoke about the set-up in several recent interviews, having just completed a run of media to promote his UFC 266 bout against Nasrat Haqparast in Las Vegas with outlets in several different countries.

He said "a good group of guys" had opted to give up the time with their families and put their hands up to help their teammates' preparations.

In a statement on Thursday, Acting Inspector Marty Brown, area protection manager for Auckland City, said the set-up was in breach of the Covid-19 Public Health Response Order.

"Today police have been made aware of a number of people that have been training and staying in makeshift accommodation at an Auckland City Gym during alert level 4.

"This is a breach of the current Covid-19 Public Health Response Order, and the Act.

"Police have served a warning notice to the manager of the gym, advising him of the breach. In the event there are continued breaches, police will consider enforcement action."