DWARTE ENCOURAGES HIS COLLEAGUES TO ATTEND CONVENTIONS 

Experienced fight referee and judge Deon Dwarte has insisted that it’s important for ring officials to attend conventions organised by world boxing bodies. 

Dwarte from Cape Town is in the United States attending the 37th IBF convention currently underway at the Long Beach Hotel and Resorts in California. The convention started on Tuesday and will end on Saturday. 

“The importance of attending the world body conventions is that you get the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the best officials in the world and share ideas with them,” Dwarte said.  

“You also get to attend refresher courses on refereeing and judging as well as attending medical seminars so that you are aware of what signs to look for when a fighter is taking too much punishment. The way we officiate a fight today differs from how it was done 20 years ago and it’s important that we stay abreast of the developments and the way the world bodies want us to apply the rules and the mechanics that must be followed in different scenarios.” 

The 2017 Male Ring Official of Year winner has added that attending conventions has given him an opportunity to gain more knowledge about the fistic sport. 

“I have learnt so much from attending the conventions and have developed friendships with some of the top officials in the world and that has helped me because I can always call them for advice if and when needed,” he said. The organisations will not likely assign anyone to a world title fight unless they are comfortable that the person is competent and gone through their training,” he said.

Meanwhile, the 53-year-old Dwarte has advised his colleagues in South Africa to try their best and attending conventions organised by world bodies. 

“My advice to officials in South Africa is to invest in yourself and make an attempt to attend the conventions. It’s not easy as it’s very expensive, particularly with the exchange rate, but we owe it to the fighters to always be at our best,” Dwarte concluded.