A legal battle has emerged over the planned UFC event at the White House, with activists attempting to halt the tournament through the courts, İdman.Biz reports.
According to ESPN, the Public Integrity Project has filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging that the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service violated federal law by allowing a private sporting event to be staged on government property without congressional approval for the construction of temporary facilities.
The organisation also submitted an emergency motion on Sunday seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the event from taking place. Brendan Ballou, the group's lead attorney, described the plans as "a blatant misuse of our sacred national monuments for personal purposes" and argued that the project breaches federal regulations.
Ballou said he expects a ruling on the emergency request later this week. The Washington-based Public Integrity Project describes itself as a legal organisation focused on combating corruption and protecting government accountability.
The Trump administration has strongly criticised the lawsuit. In a statement sent to ESPN, a White House representative labelled the case "obstructionist, meritless and dilatory", claiming it was designed solely to prevent President Donald Trump from hosting what officials believe will become one of the most significant sporting events in American history during the country's anniversary celebrations.
UFC has scheduled a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday evening, official weigh-ins on the Ellipse on Saturday, and the fight card itself at the White House on Sunday, 14 June. The event is set to coincide with Trump's 80th birthday and would mark one of the most unusual venues ever used for a major mixed martial arts promotion.
