Balmoral Group sponsors intensive pro-boxing course for judges/ring referees

The Balmoral Group, through its sports entertainment subsidiary, Game Rush, recently sponsored a four-day “Pro Boxing Judges/Ring Referee Course,” in partnership with the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C).

The event, held from November 5 to 8, 2024, at the Brai Ayonote Boxing Complex, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, was led by Ghana’s veteran judge and referee, Roger Barnor. It brought together over 15 referees from various states, including Lagos, Ogun, Osun, and Akure, to enhance their skills and standards of boxing officiating in Nigeria. Participants engaged in detailed video analyses of past matches, with critical evaluations of refereeing decisions, and learned techniques for handling complex match situations to ensure fairness and accuracy in officiating.

Speaking at the event, Balmoral Group CEO, Dr. Ezekiel Adamu, said: “At Balmoral Group, we believe in telling the African story to the world, and boxing is a powerful medium to achieve this. Many see boxing purely as a sport, but it’s also a form of showbiz. With Mr Barnor’s mentorship, we are confident that this course will produce officials capable of representing Nigeria on the global stage. This is the beginning of many such efforts to raise boxing’s profile in Nigeria.”

The programme ended with an interactive session, during which referees exchanged insights and participated in a live scoring exercise, testing their real-time decision-making and deductive skills. The last day also covered technical aspects such as scoring cards and built upon skills introduced in previous sessions.

The lead judge, Mr. Barnor encouraged participants, and commended Balmoral Group and Game Rush for their dedication to the sport and expressing hope for the future of the Nigerian boxing industry. “Thank you to my colleagues for coming, and to Mr Ezekiel Adamu and Dr Rafiu Oladipo for making this event possible. I would be honoured to see each of you rise to the top with the knowledge gained here. Let us work together to achieve the purpose that brought us all here,” he remarked.

Dr. Oladipo expressed heartfelt gratitude to Balmoral Group and Game Rush for their invaluable sponsorship. “This event is only possible because of the unwavering support of Ezekiel Adamu, CEO of Balmoral Group, who has ensured we have everything we need. We are immensely grateful for his dedication and commitment to advancing Nigerian boxing.”