NAN-S-12
Kickboxing
Lagos, June 6, 2017 (NAN) The Kickboxing Federation of Nigeria (KBFN) on Tuesday said only the officials who performed creditably in its Referees/Coaches Seminar and Examinations would be part of its 10th National Open Championships.
Peter Njoku, Secretary of KBFN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the referees/coaches clinic was held from Monday to Tuesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Yaba in Lagos.
“This clinic was made compulsory for all technical officials and the need was further stated in the letters we sent to them through their state Directors of Sports.
“The participants will be tested after the clinic, and those who proved their mettle will be graded and appointed to officiate in the championships holding between Wednesday and Thursday at the same venue,” he said.
Speaking on the referees/coaches clinic, Njoku said there were 30 participants from the Air Force, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army and others.
“The others are Sokoto, Kaduna, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, Rivers, Abia, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States,’’ he said.
Also, Nelson Oluigbo, Chairman of KBFN Referees Commission, said the objective of the clinic was to update the participants on latest officiating rules and its applications.
He said these were from the World Association of Kickboxing Organisation (WAKO), KBFN affiliate body.
He said the programme was also organised to refresh their memory on total adherence to competition ethics, discipline and comportment.
Oluigbo said that measures had been put in place to sanction officials who attempted to disrupt or display indecent approach during the competition.
“Some rules were recently introduced by our international body and we deemed it necessary to bring them to the knowledge of our officials, as well as their application in competitions.
“We want to redeem the dented image recorded at the `EKO 2012’ National Sports Festival in Lagos where the kickboxing event ended in crisis and policemen had to come in to handle the situation.
“Referees must bring their officiating techniques to play, targeted at a free and fair ending in any competition. Otherwise, they will face the penalty or get sanctioned,” he said.
Henry George, a resource person at the clinic, told NAN that the clinic became necessary because of the introduction of click, a modern device used in rating athlete performance in competitions.
George said while the manual scoring was still very much in use, there was still the need to interpret the normal scorecard to conform to the WAKO officiating standard.
“Manual scoring is still very much in use and acceptable, but there are some changes, such as when a minus card is raised against an athlete. It records three points for his opponent.
“There has to be uniformity in officiating standard, whereby all officials will be fully aware of what is obtainable and channelled towards healthy championships,” he added.
NAN reports that KBFN, in collaboration with the Lagos State Kickboxing Association, organised a two-day full contact and low-kick referees/coaches seminar/examination at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Yaba in Lagos.(NAN)
MIL/IKU/OLAL
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(Edited by Tayo Ikujuni and Olawale Alabi)