Thread: Savage September - Calgary, Sept 21st

For Immediate Release

Sept 15th , 2007

'SAVAGE SEPTEMBER' INTERNATIONAL MUAY THAI EVENT / Calgary, AB, Canada / FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21st, 2007

Friday September 21st, 2007 sees the return of International Muay Thai to Calgary, AB, Canada. The event is called 'Savage September' and features world class amateur athletes competing for the bragging rights of their home countries. This will be the first card in this city since April 2007. The event takes place at the Deerfoot Inn & Casino (11500 – 35 Street SE, Calgary, Alberta).

The Main Event and 4 of the important undercard fights features Team Canada battling against Team Turkey under full Muay Thai rule bouts. The line up is as follows:

MAIN EVENT
Full Muay Thai / 5 rounds of 2 minutes
JESSE 'SMILES' MILES (Team Canada) vs. MUSTAFA TURALI (Team Turkey)

UNDERCARD
Men's Full Muay Thai / 5 rounds of 2 minutes
'NASTY' NATE SMANDYCH (Team Canada) vs. BAKRAK 'ICEMAN' HUSEYIN (Team Turkey)
PETER ARBEAU (Team Canada) vs. KOROGLU MURAT (Team Turkey)
Women's Full Muay Thai / 4 rounds of 2 minutes
SANDRA 'HEART' BASTIAN (Team Canada) vs. CEKIM HALISE (Team Turkey)
MISTY SUTHERLAND (Team Canada) vs. AYSEGUL PEHLIVAN (Team Turkey)

OPENING FIGHTS
Modified Muay Thai (no elbow attacks at all, no knee attacks to the head) / 3 rounds of 2 minutes
ALANA DUNBRACK (Calgary, Canada) vs. SHANTEL WILSON (Denver, USA)
MELANIE GOULET (Calgary, Canada) vs. TANDI OGDEN (Salt Lake City, USA)
CHRIS MOYER (Calgary, Canada) vs. WESTON MYATT (Dawson Creek, B.C.)
ADAM KOLOZETTI (Calgary, Canada) vs. TBA (Dawson Creek, B.C.)

DATE: Friday, September 21st, 2007
LOCATION: 115 -35th St SE

TIME: Doors open at 7:00 / Fights Start at 8:00
TICKETS: From $50 - $150
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: Mike Miles Muay Thai NEW ADDRESS 6401-6th Street SE (244-8424)


Amateur bouts are sanctioned by the Canadian Muay Thai Council – Amateur (CMTC-A). Changes to the line up can occur at any time and are beyond the control of the Promoter. 6 Bouts Guaranteed!

***This event is brought to you by Mike Miles Muay Thai and the executive and membership of the Calgary Amateur Kickboxing and Muay Thai Association (CAKMA a registered not for profit association)***

STATEMENT FROM MIKE MILES

TEAM TURKEY DENIED ACCESS TO CANADA

It is with a mixture of emotions (disappointment, confusion, anger and great regret) that I announce that 'SAVAGE SEPTEMBER that was to be taking place in Calgary, Canada on Friday September 21st, 2007 has been cancelled. This 8 bout card was to highlight Team Canada against athletes representing Team Turkey. What a great line up this card was to showcase. There are many disappointed people including athletes, coaches, sponsors, the promotional team of CAKMA and Mike Miles, and especially the fans.

I have promoted/co-promoted over 300 events in 30 years. This event was completely sold out a week in advance. Everything that was required in Canada had been taken care of. In regards to my international preparations, I dotted all my "i's" and crossed all my "t's". Airplane tickets were purchased for all the Turkish Team a month ago.

I have sent communications to the Canadian Embassy in Ankara, Turkey since the beginning of August. Somehow, the Canadian Embassy decided that on the 17th of September they had to interview Team Turkey. What puzzles me is why so late? I sent many communications to the Embassy asking them to let me know as soon as possible if the Turkish Team could come or not. If the interview would have taken place back in August, I would have had time to prepare for a new team had the result been a denial of Visa's for the individual's involved. Not one, but all of the athletes and coaches (7 people) were turned down for their visa applications. In all my years of promoting since the late 1970's, I have never seen this happen. Is Team Turkey all criminals, degenerates, or undesirables? I know this is not true because most of the Turkish Team have travelled internationally to compete in many other countries. So I really question what happened to deny a whole team access to this event. One person, all right. Two people, maybe... but seven?

I am just one person and I have no power against the Canadian government. I can not change the decision. All I can do is make the following offer to all our fans and sponsors. Please hold onto your tickets. We have an event planned at the same venue for Saturday October 27th. The tickets that were purchased for 'SAVAGE SEPTEMBER'
can be used for 'FALL OUT MUAY THAI CHAMPIONSHIPS'. If required, those who purchased tickets can refund them where they purchased them.

For this event I will be bringing in a few teams of athletes that I know will not need Visa's to enter Canada. I have some athletes from Japan and the USA already signed. On behalf of the promotional team this regrettable circumstance has been noted by the Canadian Embassy in Turkey.

Mike Miles