BFK sends out seven referees to IBA Star One course in Tanzania

The Boxing Federation of Kenya has sent seven referees to this year’s International Boxing Association (IBA) One Star Referees and Judges Course currently taking place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The seven - who BFK confirmed to Mozzart Sport only consist of referees overseeing the amateur game in the country - are part of a larger delegation that are set to undergo training of both theoretical and practical components of the game, for the betterment of the sport in the country.

The course, hosted by the Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT), is taking place at the Dar es Salaam Police Academy (DPA), and is expected to last for a week.

Headlining the list of Kenyan officials there include veteran referee Nelson Otieno, who in 2021 was awarded as one of the best Referees at the Konstantin Korotkov Memorial Boxing Tournament in Khabarovsk, Russia.

Joining him are: Samuel Obiero, Hellen Wanjiku, Edward Mwaura, Lela Said Idi, Joseph Odhiambo, and Stephen Ndung’u.

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“We thank BFT and IBA for this course, which will go a long way in equipping our referees with the required knowledge to oversee our national games,” Boxing Federation of Kenya organizing secretary David Munuhe said on Friday.

The efforts across East Africa complement those in Kenya, where BFK has undertaken initiatives like ‘Ndondi Mtaani coaching training initiative’, geared towards imparting crucial boxing knowledge to grassroot coaches, judges and referees making their way up the sport.

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In total, this year’s course involves 36 participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Namibia, with instructions provided by Sadie Martina Duffy from the Republic of Ireland, and Godavarisingh Rajcoomar from Mauritius, who is also Chairperson of the African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) Referees and Judges Committee.