Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) president Anthony “Jamal” Otieno started his second and last time on Saturday with a pledge to work to get boxing incorporated in secondary school and university games.
Otieno, who was elected unopposed with the entire BFK executive said boxing needed to be played in schools if Kenya was to have strong representation at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and beyond.
Otieno’s “Ndondi Mashinani” initiative has had many youngsters and regions in the country taking up the game but the boxing supremo said he will be a satisfied man when boxing will be part and parcel of competitions in school games.
Otieno said that BFK can’t achieve its goal without crucial partnerships with corporates and the media as he called on sponsorship from multinational companies and publicity from the local media industry.
“For me it’s like a new beginning having had the difficult task of bringing the boxing fraternity that was disjointed together and putting in place structures that the game was lacking at the grassroots,” said Otieno.
“We haven’t had the desired results on the international scene because of lack of structures. We had to start from the bottom and Rome wasn’t built in a day. We are in a better place than where we were before,” said Otieno.
When he took over BFK five years ago, Otieno noted that Kenya had only one International Boxing Association (IBA) Star One Referee and Judge, Mwangi Muthoga, but they now have 15.
Otieno said that Kenya didn’t have any IBA Star Two Referees and Judges but now have six that includes two women -- Leila Idd and Hellen Waithiga.
Others are David Obiero, Nelson Otieno and Edward Mwaura.
“We want to have Star Three soon so that we can have our own officiating at the Olympics and World Championships. That will help us improve the level of the game in the country,” said Otieno, adding that boxing has spread to places like Nandi and Isiolo.
Otieno said the move by IBA to reintroduce semi-professional within their amateur level will also help the growth of the game since boxers will earn money from the sport.
“That is where we shall work with the professional body in Kenya to grow the sport since a weak amateur foundation will result in frail professional boxers,” said Otieno, adding that Africa will battle to have boxing retained at the Olympics as well as have more slots for the continent at the Summer Games.
The continent had an allocation of 18 boxers as compared to 50 during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. "These are the injustices we must fight ahead of the 2028 LA Game," said Otieno, adding that tough times saw Kenya take only five boxers to the continental qualifiers for the Olympics.
"When we take a big number we improve chances of qualifications,” said Otieno.
Members: Ibrahim ‘Surf’ Bilali, Dominic Opiyo, Jemnyango Moses
