Kickboxing Coach Advises Colleagues On Officiating

A national graded kickboxing referee, Japheth Amadi,  told referees and judges of the sport to sustain the officiating standard they displayed at the just- concluded National Kick Boxing Open Championships.
Amadi told  newsmen   in Lagos that the commendable performance of the referees and judges was proof that they understood all they were taught at the seminar before the championships.
It will be recalled that the Kick Boxing Federation of Nigeria (KBFN) held a Full Contact/Lowkick Referees/Coaches Seminar as part of the championships in Lagos from June 4 to June 8.
The seminar, which attracted 30 kickboxing officials, focused on latest rules from the World Association of Kick Boxing Organisation (WAKO).
“The objective of streamlining officiating standard in our national championships has been achieved and I am happy with the general conduct of our members and their performances.
“I believe that this seminar came to update officials and to reinstate the unpleasant end of kick boxing event in EKO 2012 festival, which was attributed to bad officiating.
“I am using this opportunity to encourage our members to maintain the standard because officiating is a major aspect that determines the successful end of championships organised at any level.’’
He advised coaches to modify their training programmes to conform to rules in their programme schedules so as to enhance athletes’ skills and performances in competitions.
Amadi said that resource persons emphasised that athletes were expected to apply latest fighting rules in upcoming KBFN and WAKO organised championships.
“We have all been given a mandate to ensure that officiating and coaching are creditable.  The coaches must therefore, play up the rules during training sessions of their athletes.
“It is most important for officials and athletes to be fully aware of the rules and their application so that there will not be room for protest in competitions.’’