An 11-year-old boy injured by an adult sparring partner in a judo class cannot hold a Staten Island martial arts academy liable, a judge has ruled. "Whenever a person participates in any sporting event, there is always a chance that the participant could be injured. The chance that the participant could be injured is a risk he or she must be aware of before engaging in any sporting activity, especially the martial arts," Staten Island Supreme Court Justice Joseph Maltese (See Profile) wrote in Morales v. Longview Academy of Extreme Martial Arts, 101999/2011.
Anthony Morales Jr. was training with Sensei Salvatore Della Croce in August 2010 when Morales, a six-year judo student who also has experience with other martial arts, paired up with an older, taller and heavier student for practice. Morales' father and Della Croce watched from the side of the mat. The adult student attempted a round kick that fractured the boy's ankle.
