Roger Barnor blasts SWAG referees’ award criteria

Boxing Referee / Judge Roger Nii Bonney Barnor has questioned the criteria for award of referee of the year by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) in the annual awards.

Referee Barnor has consistently officiated the topmost boxing fights in Ghana over the past few years and boasts amongst them having whistled six top class bouts over the last three months alone.

That includes refereeing enigmatic Light heavyweight Bukom Banku AKA Braimah Kamoko’s victory for the WBO Africa title only last June 25. He had 24 hours earlier, overseen as judge, Maxwell Awuku demolish Nigerian Taofik Bisuga for the WBO Africa Super Featherweight title.

“What else do they want? But my issue is not necessarily boxing referees or me personally but officials of other sports, umpires and all that.

“I want to know from SWAG why the focus is always on football referees. How many big games do they whistle? Is it Hearts versus Kotoko, then which match?” rhetorical questions but a wondering Roger Barnor told ALL SPORTS.

True, the SWAG Awards, arguably the biggest sporting awards scheme in Ghana, has often swooped for a football official as their referee of the year. In fact, the revered Atta Eddie Pappoe was the last boxing recipient of the award about 6 years ago with good old J.A. Annan having also won it before.

To Roger Barnor who became a referee/judge in 1998 and still holds the record as the youngest ever WBC referee at age 22, more boxing referees deserve recognition if indeed the SWAG Awards is supposed to reward all sports categories.

Meanwhile, whilst still chasing the dream to officiate big world title fights in big fights venues in the USA amongst them, petit Roger Barnor says he is enjoying continuously refereeing big fights on the local scene, including Saturday’s upcoming ‘Fight of Destiny’ boxing championship night at the Lebanon House in Accra.

“I’m not just enjoying it, I love it and it’s the best thing to happen to me. I want to be myself; I want to carve a niche for myself and Ghana.

“I want to be remembered as one of the referees with a trademark. I want to leave a trademark,” he has envisioned.