Kenyan boxing referees Obiero, Otieno attain IBA Star-3 certificates

Nelson Otieno of the Kenya Defence Forces and Samuel Obiero of Nairobi City County successfully earned the elite certification following rigorous assessments and examinations conducted by IBA Technical Experts in Conakry, Guinea last month.

The duo secured two of the only seven available slots, standing out from a competitive pool of 35 international candidates.

Their elevation to Star 3 status qualifies them to officiate at the highest levels of global boxing, including the Olympic Games, the World Boxing Championships, the Commonwealth Games, the Africa Boxing Championships, and the All Africa Games.

BFK Secretary General David Munuhe lauded the achievement, describing it as a proud moment for the federation and a testament to the leadership of BFK President Antony ‘Jamal’ Otieno.

“This is a proud achievement for Kenyan boxing. We’ve never reached this level before, and it's all thanks to the vision and commitment of our president, Jamal Otieno. This is only the beginning and we aim to produce more world-class referees and coaches so Kenya can gain greater respect on the global boxing stage,” said Munuhe.

With this certification, Otieno and Obiero are now eligible to officiate at the 2026 Olympic boxing qualifiers, set to take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6 to 22.

Their chances of being appointed by the IBA for these events are considered high, given the organization’s recent focus on empowering well-trained officials from developing nations.

Prior to this, Kenya’s most qualified official was Joseph Mwangi ‘Don King’ Muthoga, a Nakuru-based IBA Star 2 referee and judge.

The promotion of Otieno and Obiero now places Kenya in a stronger position in global boxing officiating.