When you compare the United Kingdom to some countries, it is decidedly more liberal than many.
Of course, there are people on both sides of every political argument who wish the UK was more stringent on one aspect of the law, or more relaxed on another, but there is no question that the UK takes a more liberal approach to many things than the likes of Saudi Arabia or Qatar, say. In fact, the Liberal Democracy Index ranked the UK 19th globally, placing it among the top 10% of the world’s most free and liberal countries to live in.
One of the areas in which there is definitely no liberalism applied is in certain banned sports, with several put on the UK’s banned list and unlikely to be removed any time soon.
Cockfighting
To many people, the idea of getting animals to fight for the amusement of others is repulsive. Even so, there are numerous people who enjoy such a thing and it is not uncommon for cockfighting to take place in countries around the world. The spectator sport, on which many of those watching will place bets, sees roosters fighting one another, usually to their death.
The action takes place in a ring, around which people will be gathered in order to watch the action and place their bets with the bookmakers who circle around and take the cash off the punters on which cock they think will win.
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The cocks will often have metal spurs or other implements attached to their legs, allowing for maximum impact when they strike one another. Although thousands of years old, cockfighting is banned in most countries.
In the United Kingdom, the sport was banned in England and Wales as well as in the British Overseas Territories as part of the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835. It was then banned in Scotland 60 years later. Even so, illegal cockfighting has taken place in the past, with a report released in 2017 suggesting that the practice was at a five-year high in parts of the UK.
Dog Fighting
Just as there is a desire amongst some to see cockerels fighting against one another, so too are there some people who would set dogs on one another in order to watch them fight and place bets on the likely winner. Dogs do not fight one another naturally, only really turning to violence if they are backed into a corner or feel threatened.
As a result, they have to be trained to be aggressive enough to want to fight against another dog. Money is generated from betting, but also from the likes of stud fees for the ‘best’ fighters, with the sport still being legal in the likes of Venezuela, Japan and Russia.
fun fact, the cropped ear look u might see on doberman or pit bulls actually originates from dog fighting, because they thought floppy ears might be more easily grabbed or damaged. nowadays its entirely cosmetic and absolutely pointless. unless ur planning on ur dog getting into fights anytime soon🤨
As with cockfighting, dogfighting was banned in 1835 as part of the Cruelty to Animals Act. That was in England and Wales, with the Protection of Animals Act in 1911 more specifically outlawing ‘the fighting and bating of animals’, which included dogs.
In spite of this, there have been numerous examples of dog fights taking place in the years since, which led to an exposé on the matter from the BBC in 2019 that showed that there was still dog fighting taking place around the world that had strong UK links. The investigation was part of Project BLOODLINE, which raised awareness of the sport’s continuation.
Street Racing
If you have ever watched a Fast & Furious film, then you will likely have at least some idea what street racing entails. It is pretty much as it sounds, with motor cars racing on the streets in a manner that has taken place almost since the vehicle was first invented.
It became more popular during the heyday of the likes of hot-rods and muscle cars, with the likes of Japanese import cars and exotic sports cars also being used over the years. Although such races typically take place on quiet highways or in the countryside, they can still be extremely dangerous for anyone caught up in one unawares.
Given the fact that Formula One events will sometimes take place on street courses, such as the Monaco Grand Prix, it would be silly to suggest that they are completely illegal all over the world. Yet, it is also important to point out that there are dangers to both those taking part and the people watching such races.
As a result, street racing was made illegal in the United Kingdom through the Road Traffic Act of 1988. Anyone found guilty of taking part in it is subject to a driving ban as well as a fine of up to £2,500. In spite of this, Birmingham is known to those who are interested in such things as the street racing capital of the UK.
BASE Jumping
Effectively a form of skydiving, BASE jumping sees people jump from fixed objects and using a parachute in order to descend to the ground. BASE itself is an acronym, standing for Buildings, Antennas, Spans and Earth. Antennas are such things as radio masts, whilst ‘Spans’ are things like bridges, whilst ‘Earth’ is something like a bridge.
BASE jumpers take off from fixed objects, which is what makes it different to both parachuting and skydiving, to say nothing of the fact that they are from lower altitudes. BASE jumpers also only tend to carry one parachute with them.
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Although there is evidence to suggest that some form of the sport dates back hundreds of years, it is widely considered that the first modern version of it occurred in 1966 when Michael Pelkey and Brian Schubert jumped from El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in the United States of America.
Interestingly, BASE jumping as an actual activity is not illegal in the United Kingdom, but it can become so if you illegally trespass on someone’s land in order to find a suitable site for your jump. You can seek permission ahead of the jump, but if it isn’t given then you may end up breaking the law.
