Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Online Reporter
BULAWAYO-based boxing referee/judge and Zimbabwe Boxing Federation (ZBF) technical director Steven Masiyambumbi has been honoured as an icon in Sub-Saharan Africa for his outstanding work as a boxing official.
Africa has a continental boxing platform, the SDC, where stakeholders from the entire motherland and beyond interact and Nairobi, Kenya is the headquarters where the chief administrator is based.
This is the organisation that honoured Masiyambumbi.
“Zimbabwe’s celebrated Referee/Judge and Technical Director Steven Masiyambumbi is our latest icon,” the organisation’s chief administrator John Nene who is an accomplished journalist.
A three-star referee and judge, Masiyambumbi has officiated thrice in the World Championships and is the only one from Sub-Saharan Africa to be selected to officiate in the ongoing Junior World Boxing Championships in Yerevan, Armenia. There are eight officials from Africa at the event and Masiyambumbi is the only Sub-Saharan African representative with the others coming from North Africa.
World Boxing Council accredited official Gabriel Moyo confirmed the developments.
Beitbridge-based Moyo, who helped develop boxing in Victoria Falls where the sport is now a major attraction in the transport of sports tourism, said the selection of Masiyambumbi raises Zimbabwe’s flag high.
“Our organisation saw it fit to select Steven Masiyambumbi as their icon for the end of the year 2023. This was following his splendid performance as one of the best boxing officials to officiate more International games than any other official from Sub-Saharan Africa.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate Steve for making this milestone and flying the Zimbabwean flag higher. He sits on the panel of the continental body as one of the administrators for the SDC Region,” said Moyo, who worked with Masiyambumbi’s father Petros Masiyambumbi, a boxing icon in the 1990s.
Moyo said Masiyambumbi was nominated recently and is the current icon.
He said the development will help encourage young boxers to be responsible.
“We actually identified him from our junior policy in the mid-90s. He was a very humbled and disciplined boxer who later became a game changer during the Zimbabwe vs Zimbabwe tournament which l helped coordinate together with his late father Petros Masiyambumbi in 2005.
“Most of the boxers who stepped into the ring before him lost their matches but the moment Steve went in, the whole complexion of the game suddenly changed after he won his match and most of those who came after him also won their matches.
“As an advocator for youth development through sports development l find it very encouraging to see this young man who took our advice from humble beginnings not to indulge in alcohol or drugs and substances Prosper. He is a good example of a youth who was keen to learn and we helped him to develop into what he is today. We only wish we could have more youths learning from him,” said Moyo.
The honour comes with no specific role but an appreciation in recognition of performance by the continental group made up of influential boxing stakeholders who include sports journalists, administrators and officials from the entire continent and beyond.
Masiyambumbi is currently officiating at the championships alongside North Africans Besmi Mohamed (Algeria), Andeljalil Laabachi and Abdelatif Makfouni (Morocco), Osama Yakot and Abdelsalam Kamal (Egypt), Chokri Aridhi and Sarra Boulel from Tunisia.
Meanwhile, Moyo is helping to come up with programmes that can develop boxing and grow sports tourism in Beitbridge and has invited the business world to support the initiative.
He said the border town of Beitbridge needs more social support activities such as sports to help reduce rampant drug abuse, especially among young people who fail to illegally cross the border into South Africa to look for jobs and start new lives in Beitbridge.
With support from all stakeholders, sport can create jobs, contribute to the economy and sustain lives.
Online Reporter