Hoover Out At NYSAC

Tom Hoover, the former NBA player who did a stint heading up the New York State Athletic Commission after the Magomed Abdusalsmov tragedy impacted the perception of how the sport was being overseen in the region, has left the NYSAC.

ESPN reported it today, in a story offering more specifics from an inspector general's report taking a hard look at the handling of the Abdusalsmov situation after the heavyweight collapsed following a Dec. 2014 MSG Theater contest against Mike Perez.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/17141610/investigation-rips-new-york-state-athletic-commission-handling-tragic-magomed-abdusalamov-bout

I reached out to the NYSAC and received this response, confirming that Hoover, who came in after David Berlin got the reins after Lathan exited, has departed.

“The Department of State appreciates the work of the State Inspector General, and we thank her for the many sensible recommendations she offered to enhance policy and procedures followed by the New York State Athletic Commission. Fighter safety and the integrity of combative sports in New York State remain our top priorities. The Department has taken a number of recent regulatory actions to implement many of the recommendations included in this report, and will be working on additional changes in the coming weeks. Additionally, Commission Chair Tom Hoover has offered his resignation, which has been accepted. The day-to-day operations of the Commission will not be impacted by this change.”