“It’s difficult to know where to start with these monstrous contests,” said a furious Murray. “I want to totally condemn the parents who were involved. There is no way those youngsters should have been anywhere near a competitive martial arts ring.

"There was the sickening sight of terrified young kids being put into a cage, not really sure what was happening, and being encouraged by their moronic parents to fight like animals. None to little protection for young bones, and in cases no head guards for young skulls that are still growing. It was barbaric and unforgivable.

"I was hoping it was all a publicity stunt by the producers to cause the sort of out-cry it has and that the programme will show the true essence of the martial arts. Some of the parents involved argued they wanted to give their kids lessons in self defence and that it was also a way of combating obesity." But Murray remains absolutely unconvinced.

“You don’t teach self defence by telling youngsters too young to know better to fight. What sort of message is that sending out?” he fumed. “It’s not just happening in Britain as the sport gets increasingly popular there are fly-by-nights setting up shows all over the world trying to make a quick buck and cutting safety requirements at ringside. I saw to many thing in that programme that made me angry.

"Now is the time for the sports council to take a pro active role to follow suit with the our City Council's support for sport programme and by getting involved in helping regulate the sport. No more shrugging their shoulders by saying it’s not their problem. I will personally contact the sports council again to see if something can be done to prevent this happening here.”

Murray went on to say “In my ProKick organisation we have many parents coming to us who share similar fears about bullying in schools and obesity. We have years of experience building classes for juniors. All of these are built on truth, discipline and respect, but they are also about fun for the children. There is no idiotic talk of combat and there are certainly no ring encounters. If parents are really set on beating bullying they need to help their kids with confidence. We help with confidence and also turn out proud, well mannered kids. I must reiterate that there is none of this horrible underage contact in the ring.”

He added: “We are signed up to the WKN (World Kickboxing Network) organisation – a worldwide sanctioning board – and that doesn’t allow full contact kickboxing until a child is 15 years old and with special written authorisation it can be 13. In all my 30 plus years in the fight game we have had dispensation just once to allow an especially prodigious 13 year old to fight. But that’s it. I was shocked to hear and see that two big kickboxing world bodies WAKO and the IKF sanctioned fights within the aired programme, I'll be writing to both about my dismay.” 

Ironically, as the furore was building over Baby Fight Club, Murray was returning from Geneva where he had been launching a European-wide initiative to help take sport to kids. The Fighting For Peace programme was conceived in Belfast.

It will use kickboxing and martial arts to offer kids in deprived cities and political hotspots an alternative and new way of thinking. It has been launched at the UNICEF HQ in Geneva, British and Irish government figures, Irish President Mary McAleese and Belfast City Council amongst others.

“It’s intended to be a force for good. To show kids who think they have no way out that there is another way. It’s exciting to get it started. And having seen what was happening with Baby Fight Club it looks as though it’s more necessary than ever.”