Boxing gym criticised after telling school children to settle arguments in the ring
'No cameras, no friends, just the two of you until someone gives up,' says Fight Club like post aimed at teenagers
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Your support makes all the difference.A boxing club has been criticised after it offered children the chance to settle school arguments by going toe to toe in the ring.
Warriors Gym, in Whitburn, West Lothian, told youngster that they could scrap with "no cameras, no friends, just the two of you".
Owner David Orr said his real-life Fight Club would offer a “solution” after an apparent increase in violence at two nearby schools.
In a Facebook post he wrote: “I will put this offer to all kids from any school, if you want to fight each other, message me, you can have a square go in the ring…you will fight until someone gives up.”
Although the post concluded that all combatants would shake hands afterwards, parents expressed astonishment at the proposed violence.
"I think this is horrendous!” one woman wrote. “I am completely shocked and overwhelmed a business thinks it’s acceptable to be arranging fights between teenagers."
Another said: “The worst idea. Deal with violence by violence until someone gives up. If anything it would cause more trouble by going back to school and one person making a mockery of the other."
But Mr Orr has defended his offer.
“The hope is that I can get them together and let them speak without anybody else around egging them on, or social media spreading things that are not true," he told the Daily Record. "If, after all of that, they wish to still fight, it's fists only, with 16oz gloves and headguards which we use for sparring.
"Having been in coaching for almost 20 years I know when someone has had enough. They would shake hands, and have another chat and that would be the case closed. If not they can come back until it is.”
He added he would seek permission off parents before any fights took place.
A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “We completely refute any suggestion that there has been any significant increase in violent incidents in our schools, which remain safe environments for pupils and staff.
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