California State Athletic Commission Elects New Chairman and Vice-Chairman

The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) has announced the election of John Frierson and Dr. Christopher Giza as its new Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

Chairman Frierson has been a member of the Athletic Commission since 2001. A 26 year veteran of the Los Angeles Police and Sheriff's Departments, he served as Senior Traffic Supervisor for the Police Department for 17 years. He's been a member of the Los Angeles Transportation Commission since 2001, and is currently its Vice President. Chairman Frierson is an Executive Board Member of the California Democratic Party and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from 1976 through 2000. He's also the recipient of numerous Community Services Awards from both the City of Los Angeles and the California State Assembly.

"It's an honor to serve as Chairman of the State Athletic Commission; I'm especially looking forward to working with new Executive Officer George Dodd." says Chairman Frierson. "The health and safety of California's amateur and professional athletes is my number one priority."

Vice-Chairman Giza has served on the Athletic Commission since 2005. He currently serves as an assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, as a pediatric neurologist at UCLA's Mattel Children's Hospital and as a researcher at the UCLA Brain Injury Research Center. Giza is board certified in neurology and child neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) regulates professional boxing, professional and amateur kickboxing and professional mixed martial arts (MMA) throughout the state by licensing all participants and supervising the events. CSAC is committed to maintaining the health, safety, and welfare of the participants and the public as they are involved in the sports it regulates. To accomplish this, the Commission staff works diligently to guarantee the best possible protection for both stakeholders and the public through effective supervision, fair regulation and policy setting.