Chairman of Nigeria Karate Referee Commission, Sense Bolaji Sidiq, has said that the (NKRC), was formed to enhance the standard of karate referees by updating and keeping them abreast of new rules.

Sensei Sidiq, made this known over the weekend, during a six-day karate officials upgrading course held at the multi-purpose Hall of the Alfred Diete-Spiff Sports Complex, Port Harcourt.

According to NKRC chairman, the programme was put in place by the Nigeria Karate Federation and the Nigeria Karate Referee Commission to improve technical know-how of local officials to enable them have the needed skills in their chosen jobs as they graduate with the desired grades.

“The programme would also help to justify the fairness of National body to the hosting state,” he said.

He thanked the president of Nigeria Karate Federation Hon Nathaniel Ojo Taiwo, for inaugurating the NKRC, saying that, the body enables executives to have access to referees, run courses, that mobilises and enhances officials.

He thus urged that the body should also be taken to the grassroots level, adding that, karate should be promoted alongside other sports.

“Karate is one of the best in terms of entertainment and health-wise. It helps to facilitate more people to involve in the officiating because of the benefit that is involved in officiating the sport. It is a stepping-stone to become a national and international referee,” he said.

He however, thanked the Rivers State Director of Sports Sir, Daobu Harvest Harry and the chief coach of karate in the state Sensei Yacob Kingsley O. Emelie, for giving the body the opportunity to come to the state and run the programme and for creating the enabling environment for the state karate officials to participate in the course, respectively.