The Enugu state Police Command has hailed the upgrading of three of its personnel by Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) as national boxing referees.
The command’s Sports Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, gave the commendation while speaking in Enugu, on Thursday, on the development.
The upgrading followed their participation in a week-long referees’ and judges course, which commenced on Aug. 23 in Enugu, organised by the NBF and sponsored by the South East representative on the federation board, Dr Osondu Ogbu.
At the end of the course, the participants were decorated with their national badges by members of the NBF Caretaker Committee at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Aug. 31.
Amaraizu, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), described the upgrading of the boxing referees of the command as “a good development”.
According to him, the development was a pointer that the Nigeria Police Force was occupying a space in the nation’s sports development.
Amaraizu, who also is the National Coordinator of Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), advised the referees to work assiduously to uplift the game of boxing.
“I urged the newly boxing upgraded referees, especially the police personnel amongst them to avoid anything that will bring the game of boxing to disrepute.
“As referees, you are to uphold the tenets and core values of boxing through discipline and ensuring sound judgment,” he said.
He charged stakeholders to also support the game of boxing, especially at the grassroots, in order to fish out those with a passion for the game with and exposing them to a strategic leadership direction.