145;Fight146;: Raja is ready for Olympic commands

For a boxing referee, a chance to officiate at the Olympics is literally a onece-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Association Internationale d...

For a boxing referee, a chance to officiate at the Olympics is literally a onece-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Association Internationale de Boxing Amateur AIBA stipulates that a referee gets only one chance; because the Games are quadrennial, the 32-member field needs to be restricted. Plus, of course, 8216;8216;it8217;s something every referee wants on his bio-data,8217;8217; as Lt Col P K Muralidharan Raja 8212; chosen for Athens 8212; says.

Presently attached with the Army Sports Control Board, Raja tells The Indian Express that 8216;8216;it was a dream realised after stepping into the ring in 1978-79, because Olympic duty is a much higher level than even the world championships8217;8217;. Raja is one among seven from Asia who will make the trip to Athens. He joins KP Kuka 8217;72 and 8217;76 Kishen Narsi 8217;84, 8217;88 and 8217;92 and Gaive Nagpurwalla 2000 among Indian refs to have made the grade, the first two having officiated before the AIBA ruling came into being.

Having graduated from the National Defence Academy, Pune, Raja hit the ring because of 8216;8216;a sheer interest in the game8217;8217;. 8216;8216;I liked the sport and could not exercise it as I was an officer. The best thing was get associated somehow. Having turned national referee/judge in 1986, I was on his way.8217;8217;

In 8217;92, the 48-year-old chairman of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation Ring Officials8217; Commission became an Asian level judge/referee. This, in fact, was his first major step into the international arena. Having done duty in various Asian-level meets King8217;s Cup, Asian Championships and a couple of invitational internationals, international recognition came in 1997. 8216;8216;Dedicated hard work was finally rewarded,8217;8217; Raja says.

In 2001, Raja was adjudged best referee/judge at the XIth Invitational Boxing Tournament in Vladivostok, Russia. Being invited for big tournaments like the Commonwealth Games and World Championships thrice became commonplace after that.

For the Athens Games, a seven day qualifying seminar was held at Abu Dhabi, where 52 referees/judges were invited. 8216;8216;It8217;s very strict. One is judged for every small error,8217;8217; explains Raja. But to stay on top of his 8216;game8217;, Raja maintains that 8216;8216;I always keep the rule-book in mind and keep brushing things up. It8217;s an old-convention, but then you need to know your powers and duties like the back of your hand.8217;8217;

Raja adds, 8216;8216;Decisions have to made in a split second. You are being watched by an audience, that includes ringside officials, players and the television cameras. You cannot afford to blink. Bouts are reviewed, so in order to get things right I stand in front of a mirror and practice reacting to a situation and pointing signals.8217;8217;

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The Games start in just over three weeks8217; time, and Raja is looking forward to good grades during the preliminary rounds. Why? Simple. It might qualify him for one of the finals, and 8216;8216;that will be the icing on the cake8217;8217;.