Guyana Amateur Boxing Association’s (GABA) president K. Juman Yassin has urged newly-accredited referees/judges to be impartial when performing their duties.

Addressing participants at the closing ceremony of the recently-concluded referee/ judges course organised by GABA, Yassin said over the years there have been accusations that judges were biased towards boxers from the Guyana Defence Force and Police gyms, but now that new officials have been accredited, that should no longer be a problem.

Successful participants of the recently-concluded Guyana Amateur Boxing Association referees/judges course (standing), strike a pose with GABA and Guyana Olympic Association officials at the closing ceremony on Wednesday at Olympic House (Pix. by Lawrence Fanfair).

Yassin also called on coaches to desist from betting on fights during tournaments. “I want to discourage coaches from betting during tournaments. My plea, I call no names, but if that position was there, I ask those coaches not to indulge in it,” Yassin implored

According to Yassin, the recently-concluded course came at a time when new judges and referees are needed and he is very happy about that.

Earlier, course co-ordinator and GABA vice-president, Rudolph Torrington, in giving a brief overview of the course which commenced on July 26 and concluded on August 29, pointed out that in the past, GABA found itself in a position where tournaments were staged, but there was a shortage of referees and judges, and something had to be done to alleviate the situation.

“What made it more important to run this course, the international body (IABA) outlawed score cards and insisted that calculators must be used (when judging fights), so we had to conduct a course for our officials using the new method of scoring,” Torrington stated.

Delivering the feature address, Guyana Olympic Association’s General Secretary Ivor O’Brien, said the running off of the course was indeed timely and a step in the right direction.

O’Brien advised the graduates to ensure the sport is administered by the laws of the international body in the interest of officials and in particular the participants. “Ensure the rules are observed” O’Brien cautioned.

“Form yourselves into a unit to share ideas and expertise.

“You need to give support and be supported, you need to have a love for what you are doing, you need to have dedication for what you are doing and you must be impartial and look the part,” O’Brien cautioned.

The General Secretary charged the graduates to be good assets to the sport of boxing and uphold its integrity.

According to Torrington, the course was originally planned for seven days, but at the recently concluded National Novices Championships score cards were used during the first night, while students sat behind the judges and observed.

“But on the second night, only a few referees and judges were present, so we (GABA) used students from the course and they did a good job, and from what we observed, we were happy and so did not do (course) revision, instead, we went straight into the exams and the lone female on the course (Romona Agard) passed with 96 percent while all the others secured 80 percent or more,” Torrington pointed out.

Yassin complimented Torrington and Carl Franklyn (assistant course coordinator) for a job well done and complimented the Ricola Gym and its coach Donald Allison.

According to Yassin, local amateur fighters will contest the 2004 South American Olympic Box-Off in either Tijuana, Mexico, or Brazil. “But we are targeting Brazil for the Olympic qualifiers,” Yassin said.

Yassin used the opportunity to donate a quantity of boxing gear to the Young Lions and One Mile Boxing Gyms of Linden.

Chairman of proceedings and GABA’s secretary Howard Cox, in saluting the participants who gave their time to improve the standard of officiating, noted that the graduates showed commitment to learn the rules of the game and hoped that they not only give many years of service locally, but go on and serve internationally.

The presentation of badges to the new officials were done by former GABA treasurer Peter Abdool; Dr. Dennis Dookhan; former GOA president Rudolph Harper; and GOA vice-president Neville Denny.

The Vote of Thanks was done by course participant Rupert David.