Two Kenyan referees to officiate at top global boxing events

Referee Nelson Otieno (centre) officiating a past bout. [Jonah Onyango, Standard] People need patience and resilience for them to reach at the apex of their careers. These come with total hard work, diligence and consistency to support their expertise as they try to climb up the ranks in the chase for top honours. At times, it takes years to reach that level for the lucky ones but others also fail to do so after their sacrifice. And two Kenyan referees and judges are part of a team of seven qualified officials globally from a panel of 35 who were recently examined by the World governing boxing body in the International Boxing Association (IBA) and succeeded in their endeavours. They are Nelson Otieno of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and Samuel Obiero of Nairobi City County. They are now fully qualified as IBA-Star 3 Referees and Judges. And their qualification is an inspiration to the young upcoming and talented sportsmen and women who could be eager to follow into their footsteps. The duo is now qualified to officiate at the Olympics and World Boxing Championships that is destined to catapult Kenya back as a global powerhouse as it was in the seventies and eighties when she was ranked in the class of the then world champions USA and Cuba. Those were the days when Kenyan boxers won different titles at the World Boxing Championships, Olympics, Commonwealth Games, All Africa Games, Africa Boxing Championships and international Invitational Championships like King's Cup in Thailand. A good example is the 1978 World Boxing Championships flyweight gold medalist Steve Muchoki. Muchoki had followed into the footsteps of the 1968 Olympics welterweight silver medallist Phillip Waruinge who later joined the paid ranks in Japan earning the nickname of Nakayama. The duo attained this achievement at an IBA-Star 3-Certification by World-IBA Technical Experts in Conakry, Guinea last month. In the past, the highest level they could officiate in was at the Commonwealth Games and other continental assignments. They attained IBA-Star Two status in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania in April this year. And as IBA-Star 1-officials, they were only qualified to officiate in continental events like Africa Boxing Championships, Africa Olympic Qualifiers, Africa Zonal Championships, Africa Youth Championships and the national assignments. And this is the first time since independence when Kenya can boast of qualified referees and judges who can officiate at the Olympics and World Boxing Championships. They automatically qualify to be appointed to officiate at the 2026 World Olympic Qualifiers and this year the could be selected to officiate at the World Elite Men Boxing Championships if IBA's trend of appointing format is anything to go by. They can as well officiate in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The first World Olympics Qualifiers that will select sportsmen and women for the Los Angeles Games will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy on February 6-22,2026. Those to travel to Italy will have been players who failed to make it at their continental qualifiers. This is a great milestone for the national boxing body who moved first to ensure her coaches, referees and judges get the highest level of training from the continental to the global level from the time they were first elected into office in 2019. This was after deep consultations with Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) and International Boxing Association (IBA). Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) Communications Director Duncan Kuria confirmed the new development saying it was a step in the right direction. "This is a great milestone for the country's boxing fraternity coming at a time when we had only one official who has since retired but could only officiate in the Commonwealth Games as his highest level in the global championships," Kuria told Nairobian Sports. Back then it was Nakuru based IBA-Star 2-Referee-cum-Judge in Joseph Mwangi 'Don King' Muthoga. Muthoga officiated in several Commonwealth Games all around the globe and in the continental and regional championships besides the national assignments. Otieno (Nelson) was happy to have been promoted to the highest level of officiating and promised to impart the same skills to his juniors locally and in the region. "My promotion is a boon to us as a country and in the region if not Africa. The idea is to impart same skills to referees and judges in Kenya and in the region if not Africa," said Otieno. He thanked his employers, KDF, the national boxing federation, BFK and his family for the support they have accorded him to reach these levels. "Kudos goes to my employers, KDF, BFK and my family for the support they gave me to reach these levels. It hasn't been easy in the journey but I cannot forget the efforts of Raja Kumar, the chairman of Refs and judges in Africa," he said. On his part, Sam Obiero said he was ready for the next appointment to be offered by either at the Olympics or global championships. "What comes first is what I'll take hoping it'll come at the appropriate time," said Obiero.

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