Top boxing appointment for Leroy Brown

Leighton Levy, Gleaner Writer

Leroy Brown, general secretary of the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control (JBBC) and one of the Caribbean's most experienced boxing administrators, has been licensed by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) as an international technical official (ITO).

He is the first and only technical official from the English-speaking Caribbean to achieve this designation, and can now officiate in all international boxing tournaments worldwide.

"Naturally, I am quite excited, knowing that I have made another step up in boxing," said Brown of the appointment. "It is the next logical step up from being an international judge."

He was the first Jamaican to qualify as an AIBA international judge.

To qualify as an ITO, one has to have a certain level of experience and, in addition, pass a qualifying examination. Brown sat the exam in Panama on July 2 and was notified yesterday that he passed with flying colours.

International responsibility

"What happens now is that I am one of the people in charge during an international tournament to ensure that things run smoothly," he said.

Being an AIBA technical official means that Brown basically knows the AIBA rule book inside out.

"An ITO is in charge of the judges, he handles the draw during competition, he has to know what size the ring needs to be, that sort of thing," he said.

The JBBC general secretary has officiated as an international boxing judge in the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, Central American and Caribbean Games and South American Games.

Currently there are 44 ITO's worldwide. The Americas in which grouping Brown is slotted has 14 officials. Europe also has 14, Asia 12, Africa four and Oceania two. Brown, who is a former president of the JBBC and vice-president of the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association, is currently a member of the executive committee of the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC), and a member of their Referees and Judges Commission.