"I believe our referees will receive invitations to the Olympic Games."
Idman.biz reports that this statement was made by Emil Gurbanaliyev, Chairman of the Referees Committee of the Azerbaijan Boxing Federation (ABF), in an interview with Report.
He commented on the recent promotion of three Azerbaijani referees from a 2-star to a 3-star category by the International Boxing Association:
"The development of referees in Azerbaijani boxing is evident. Last year, 17 referees took the exam to earn the 1-star category, and 14 of them passed successfully. The promotion of Anar Naghdiyev, Rovshan Gadirov, and Galib Abiyev to the 3-star international category is great news. We will now see them officiating at world, European, and continental championships. This is a step-by-step process. If our referees can prove themselves in international competitions, they will also be invited to the Olympic Games."
Gurbanaliyev also mentioned that they are encouraging retired boxers to become referees:
"In boxing refereeing, we give preference to young individuals. We’ve invited accomplished former boxers such as Nasraddin Mammadov, Shaban Shahpalangov, Tural Ahmadov, and Ruslan Gasimov to take up refereeing. They, along with several others, are strong candidates to earn the 3-star category in the future. I would also like to highlight our female referee Masma Salimzada, who currently holds a 1-star category. I’m confident she’ll continue to gain more experience going forward."
The number of Azerbaijani referees holding the 3-star category has now increased to six. Previously, Emil Gurbanaliyev, Anar Babanli, and Fuad Aslanov had also achieved this rank.
Idman.biz
