Page 176 - RAPTC Mind, Body & Spirit

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Another notable tournament I officiated at was the 2003 European Schoolboys Championships in Rome where Amir Khan and Luke Campbell were both young 16 year olds representing England and both medal winners.
My constant activity and duties over the next few years on the domestic club circuit for Yorkshire, the ABA of England at National level and EABA at International level, lead me to be selected for upgrading to AIBA in 2005. Which allowed me to be selected to officiate as an International Referee and Judge at numerous, European Championships, World Championships and tournaments worldwide. This also included a number of Great Britain Championships, and Multi Nations events with England versus, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, France, China, Canada, Cuba Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Hungary and also the annual showpiece event which was always at the infamous York Hall venue in London, of England v USA.
During the England v Cuba event in 2005, I also had the honour of refereeing the bout between the great and famous Cuban double Olympic, World and Central American Lightweight Champion, Mario Kindelan v England’s Commonwealth, EU and first ever English World Lightweight Champion, Frankie Gavin who went on to represent Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics. It was an absolute pleasure to referee someone of Kindelan’s quality and ability on that night in Liverpool.
Over the next few years, in addition to hundreds of domestic level and National events I was selected to officiate at some notable International tournaments as follows:
The World Cadet Championships in UK in 2005 which was my first event on the World stage at a Major Championships.
The European Female Championships in Poland in 2006
The World Cadet Championships in Azerbaijan in 2007.
All these constant duties subsequently lead me to be nominated and selected for the newly formed and implemented Great Britain Panel of Referee’s in 2008. This Panel consisted of four AIBA Referee’s from England, two from Scotland and two from Wales with the intention of being eligible to cover and officiate at all the major International tournaments and championships worldwide.
It was shortly after this that I was selected as the England Referee and Judge for the Olympic Qualifying Event in Athens in 2008 for the Beijing Olympics. Also with me were other AIBA referees from Great Britain and Ireland. For me at the time, apart from the possibility of being selected for the Olympic Games, this was definitely the pinnacle and highlight of my boxing refereeing career to date and was an absolute honour to have been selected for and to represent England and Great Britain at such a prestigious and important event. Unfortunately I was not selected for the Beijing Olympics as each Nation are only permitted one official at the Games.
However, in consolation, and shortly after, I was selected to officiate at the European Senior (Elite) Championships in Liverpool.
Yet again, another high profile and prestigious event in the AIBA calendar. I continued being very active and in 2009 AIBA changed their grading system for Referees and Judges and decided to abolish the EABA qualification and implement a 1, 2 and 3 Star Grading system with 3 Star being the highest. This made all EABA and AIBA Referees collectively AIBA Officials and dependant on experience and tournaments and championships attended, were assessed and given a Star Grading category. Despite my extensive International experience on the European and World stage, for reasons still unbeknown to me, I was only assessed as a 2 Star. This at the time surprised, frustrated and disillusioned me in relation to the fairness of the grading system and its procedures and criteria.
However, I carried on my duties as a AIBA 2 Star Referee and Judge with continued International appointments including a number of high profile events as follows:
Great Britain v The Rest of the World in Cardiff in 2010.
A tour to Crete and Box Cup Tournament with the GB Female Squad in 2010 which included Nicola Adams, and Amanda Coulson, who is now a successful Coach with Great Britain.
European Female Championships in Rotterdam in 2011, including Nicola Adams and Lisa Whiteside, the current GB and Commonwealth Games Gold medalist.
A pre Olympic Tournament in Lithuania in 2012 with a GB Squad which included Anthony Joshua and Luke Campbell.
For the European Schoolboys Championships in Dublin in 2013 that was unfortunately cancelled due to England being suspended from competing by AIBA due to a violation of their Rules and Bye- Laws. This was later rescinded and the suspension lifted.
European Schoolboys Championships in Hungary in 2014. This was to be my last International event as an official with England Boxing.
During all this time since discharge, I was employed by West Yorkshire Police and also became a member of the Police & Community Clubs of Great Britain (P&CCGB) Boxing Association and refereed for them at events versus numerous Nations visiting UK that resulted in successful return trips to USA, Bermuda, France and Iceland. This was with ex WO2(QMSI) Mick Gannon BEM, APTC, who had been the very successful Army and CSBA Boxing Coach during his time serving and was at the time the British Police Coach and then went on to become the England National Team Coach.
In 2014 AIBA made dramatic rule changes that each Nation and Federation worldwide had to comply with and adhere to and this lead to the “Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) having to change its name and title to “England Boxing”. All Regions nationally then had to deliver a number of Seminars in order to implement and familiarise all their Officials and Coaches with these rule changes. In Yorkshire, myself and ex WO2(QMSI) Billy MacDonald were responsible for the delivery of all these Seminars.