Inside the Ring: Refereeing at the Olympics with Wade Peterson

Host Ina Leahy sits down with Wade Peterson as he shares his incredible journey from a young boxer in Redcliff to an international referee and judge at the Olympics. Discover the behind-the-scenes of boxing officiating, the challenges faced, and the passion that drives excellence in sports.


Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Wade's background in boxing
01:52 Wade's journey from boxer to referee and judge
03:57 First national and international competitions
06:59 Refereeing and judging at the Olympics
11:56 International travel and experiences in boxing
18:01 The new evaluation system for officials
23:05 Secrecy and security at the Olympics
30:13 Memorable moments and challenges at the Olympics
39:57 The future of boxing officiating and Wade's advice


Wade Peterson is a distinguished boxing referee and judge who has made significant contributions to the sport of boxing. From his humble beginnings in Redcliff to being inducted into the Medicine Hat Sports Wall of Fame, Wade's story is one of passion, dedication, and resilience.

Wade's journey began in the 1980s when he took up boxing to keep fit for hockey. However, as boxing became his true passion, he participated in numerous competitions, earning accolades such as a bronze medal at the national level and participation in the Canadian Winter Games. After hanging up his gloves in 1986, Wade transitioned to officiating, where he quickly found his footing under the mentorship of renowned officials, paving the way for an illustrious career.

As Wade's passion for the sport grew, he began to gain more skills as a boxer leading him to participate in over twenty-six fights and earning a bronze medal at the national level. His experiences in the Canadian Winter Games, where he met Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, further fueled his dedication to boxing. 

After years as a boxer, Wade was introduced to refereeing by his mentor, Bill Page. Wade quickly found success, working his first national championships just a few years later in 1989.

Wade took a ten-year hiatus from officiating to focus on family life after his daughter was born in 1992. However, in 2002, he returned to boxing, motivated by his son’s interest in the sport. Wade’s experience and dedication allowed him to seamlessly reintegrate into the boxing community, further establishing his reputation as a skilled referee and judge.

Throughout his career, Wade has officiated numerous national and international competitions, eventually earning the opportunity to referee at the Olympic level. His journey is a testament to his hard work, determination, and love for boxing, showcasing how passion can lead to incredible achievements.
 
Wade's journey from a young boxer to an esteemed referee at the Olympics highlights the importance of dedication to one’s craft. For those interested in boxing, Wade's insights and experiences serve as a valuable resource, inspiring the next generation of athletes and officials. 


Resources

Boxing Canada - https://boxingcanada.org/
World Boxing - https://www.worldboxing.org/
International Boxing Association - https://www.iba.sport/
Olympic Official Website - https://olympics.com/
Pan American Games - https://www.panamsports.org/
Medicine Hat Sports Wall of Fame - https://www.medicinehat.ca/parks-recreation/sports-wall-of-fame/

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Transcript

0:00

Hey, this is Brian again, and I'd like to ask you to do a favor. We can't do this work without people like you. So if you can, please like, share, subscribe, tell your friends about bring back the porch. So where are these evaluators sitting. Sitting by outside the field of play where it's still in the field of play, but behind the referees and judges? Okay. You'll see two people with shirts on or suits on. One's a referee evaluator. One's a judge evaluator. So one's judging the boat and one's judging the referee. Okay. Right. And that they're critiquing makes that. Yeah. Right. So yeah. And if you get sanctioned as a judge, you don't referee either. This episode of bring back the porch. Brought to you by medicine at Monumental Crafting Quality Memorials of Distinction since 1970. welcome to the porch. Today. I'm very excited to have a very good friend here with us on the porch. Mr. Wade Peterson and Wade is a. Wade grew up in Redcliffe, and he and his family now live in Medicine Hat. A few months ago, just over a month ago. Really? Wade was inducted into the Sports Medicine Hat Wall of Fame. Yes. And that was really exciting, wasn't it? It was very exciting. Yeah. Yeah. And it was a really neat thing to see. And I think that many, many people in Medicine Hat have no idea who you are. Nope. And how much of that? I'm going to call you a hidden gem. You are? What do you think of that? Okay. I'll be a little gem. I'll take that. Yeah. You are a hidden gem. And so I. I'm just so proud of you. And I want to share your accomplishments with the city. I think that people need to know who you are and what you've done, and how you have put even the name of medicine hat out there. And so the thing that I'm really talking about, and when I'm very excited to be able to tell people, is that you have gone to the Olympics. Yep. And so you have been a referee for boxing at the Olympics and judge and judge. Yeah. Okay. But what we're going to do is we're going to kind of back up and let people know what your history is and how you've actually how you actually got there. And even now what you're doing today. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Right. With that. You betcha. All right. It's a long road. It's right. Yeah. So we're going to go back to, I think, the 80s probably. Yep. When you were boxing as a young man. Yep. With Mr. Page. So tell us about that. So I started boxing to keep in shape for playing hockey. Okay. And then hockey became very expensive and where parents and stuff couldn't afford it. Cablevision, Tigers, for example. I could have made that team, but they wanted to much money. So I started boxing, and I loved boxing, so. And Bill Paige used to pick me up every night and take me because he lived out by bowl. Yeah. And he picked me up and take me to the boxing club all the time. So. So I boxed from 1980 to 86. Okay. I had about 26 fights. Went to nationals twice. Got a bronze medal the one year. The next year I lost to the bronze medalist. I think it was okay. But it was very good Canadian Winter games. It went to them in 1983 and that was huge because Pierre Trudeau was the prime minister back then. So yeah. So that was kind of neat. And then then I hung up, hung my gloves up. I should say in 86, 86. Yeah. Okay. And then Bill says do you want a referee? And I said yes. So he had a guy from the States come up to Medicine Hat. Lyle accosted. Okay. And if nobody knows that name in Canada. But he is one of the best officials ever in the United States. Okay. He's went to the Olympics twice for the USA. So as a boxer, as as a referee. Referee for the US. Yeah. He went once as a timekeeper and once as a referee. Judge. Okay. And back in the day, you can only go to the Olympics once. Oh, but he went as a do as a time keeper the one time and then. Yeah. Okay. So he come up and do the course for us in in 1987. And that's where I started my refereeing judging career. Awesome. Okay. So it went on from there. And then in 1989, I did my first national championships down in Oromocto New Brunswick. It was the senior Commonwealth trials and the Youth Canadian Championships. I did my first national championship down there, level four. And Jean Paul from Quebec was the chief official back then. And he said, I passed everything and I traveled with Bill page because he was the vice president. He was the vice president of the Canadian Amateur Boxing Association. So he went to all of these. So he went and everything. So he traveled with him lots. Right. So I became my first national championships. So you would have been like 19 years old. 19. Yeah. Well, I was it. I can't 21, 21, 21 when I went there. And so the, the individuals who were boxing. Yes. Were they younger? They were they were made. Well, they were the senior team. Okay. Right. Back then was my age. Okay. Because or even older. Okay. So I know a lot of the old boxers from back in the day. Right. Curtis strange and lots of lots of guys. Lennox Lewis, when he fought Willie DeWitt. Yeah. Yes. Carmen rink. All them. Yes. Yes. Yeah. I've met him a couple of times when he fought here in medicine. Right. For the Canadian Championships and stuff. He was supposed to fight Sean O'Sullivan in the final, but Sean O'Sullivan backed out because. Yeah. Yeah. He was scared of Carmen. Yeah. He's scared of those He. Carmen was the best southpaw I've ever seen. Right. Yeah. Yeah. He's. Him and Rick Duff would spar all the time here. He's like, yeah. Yeah. That was cool. I remember going to at high the North gym and they had the ring set up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We had a lot of. I fought in that one too. So. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it was good. How difficult was it to ref people who were your same age or older than you? I just go in there and do my my job. Right. So I was like, a guy from the States. Shawn Reeves. Good friend of mine. He says, Wade, you're kind of a funny fella. You outside the ring? You're you're kidding around. Stuff this. But when you get between the ropes, it's it's game on. There's your it's all business. And that's my job is like, okay. So I was reading a little bit doing some research before this. Yeah. And so what I understand is that you meet with the boxers prior to getting into the ring. No, that's pros do. Oh, amateurs don't don't know. We have no no recollection whatsoever. Okay. At the club levels, we kind of know who referees and or who the people are in the different clubs. We try not to referee or judge the people from our club. Like from us. Not or something. Right? But sometimes we're short officials. Yeah. So in that case, for example, I had to referee my son 3 or 4 times. Oh, really? I'd rather Referee than judge him. Yeah. So judging them was a little bit different. So we tried to get out of that kind of predicament. Right. So when you first started though it was just reffing. Don't judge. You judged for a year first back in then and then you. So. And then you could. Yeah. Yeah. But I got into refereeing really quick because I knew how to I knew about boxing. So when I was an ex boxer. So it's different if you didn't, if you come into the sport and don't know nothing about this word, we make them judge for a good year first and then watch the referee when you want to become a referee. Right. And it's a totally different ballgame refereeing than judging. Judging. You know how to score a scorer. The boat. Right. Refereeing. Got another rules. Yeah. And hand signals and and everything comes in a quick moment when you get to and. Yeah. Like you're making those decisions right. Yep. Like automatically like. Yep. And you can't hesitate. No. Or you can't say oh sorry. Bad call on my part. Yes. That's right. So and that's called experience. The more years you get into it the the better it goes, right. Like so. Like like I say. But in 92, the 2002, I took ten years off because a wife and I had kids. Yeah. And I wouldn't have a family if I didn't take time off. So I took time off. My daughter was born in 92, my son in 95, and then in 2002, I became back into it. And then my son got involved in boxing two. Okay. So he was. Yeah, but he wouldn't listen to that. No, no, you don't know. Okay. So did you. Was Mr. Paige still involved with the club? And because we really only had the one boxing club. Well, there was another one, too. There was. The one in that building were mud. Rocks. Concrete is now. But the roof. Snow caved it in. Whatever. Right. Yeah. And Stan was the coach of that club. Oh, right. So. Yeah. Okay. And so then how long did you. Were you. Well, you weren't really coaching him. Or were you coaching? No. Well, then I came back, right? And he started coaching and refereeing. Judging again. And and then he started boxing when he was about ten, maybe 12. And then he didn't listen to that. Yeah. So his first seven fights for seven losses. And then he said okay, I'll start listening to you. Okay. So then he won his next eight. He won the Alberta Winter games. One two guys up there. Okay. Yeah. And then and I fought in the in 82. I fought in Alberta Winter games. And I got gold medal there and I won the best. It was a junior seed boxer there too or something really. So. And he's done that too. He's got golden gloves. So I didn't have a Golden Gloves championship until I was 51. I was going to say you boxed quite late. Yeah. Yes. Well, as all athletes, they think they can do it again. Right. So at 51, I boxed twice. Okay. Two more times. And I beat the two guys. And I won the Golden Gloves at one time. So I was like, I got my Golden Gloves. Yeah. It, like, in the Brandon goes. Darn it. I had one up on you, dad. But now he doesn't know. Yeah. Does he still box? He coaches now. Yeah. He coaches in in Kelowna. Yep. So a lot of fun. Yeah. He loves it. Like this one. Good. So. Yeah. So then okay let's go back to then 2005. So you were back. You were with Brett Brandon. Yeah. And then what led you back into reffing? And. Well, they they need people in the sport, right? So then I said some free time, and then I started refereeing judging again all over. Alberta. And then the chief official then didn't know who I was. He come down to Medicine Hat at the club show here and he was going to hold the course. And I said to him, I'm Wade Peterson, I've been ten years out. But he said, you got a level four. He said, yeah. He said, no, you don't. He said, we're going to downgrade you. And then there was for other people on the course, and they took the test open book. And I took the test, no open book. And I scored higher than what they did open book. And he's kind of going, I don't know this guy, but I should know him. But and since then it's been like, okay, just. And as I have time in my life and family life, I dedicate one week kind of thing to Boxing Canada at nationals or something like that. Right? So okay, so in 2011, I did the Canadian Winter games. I refereed and judged in Halifax. Okay. And then probably every nationals after that I did for 5 or 6 years at least. And it's just once a week or one week a year. Yeah, there's the nationals, usually about 4 or 5 days, but you're there for about a week. Different places. Right. Okay. So as I'm working a good year, I only have so many, so many holidays days. Yeah. So I one was for Boxing Canada and then the rest of my family. Right. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. You really have dedicated a lot of time to boxing. Yeah. We way from the family. Yeah. Weekends here. Weekends there. My wife becomes a boxing widow in the wintertime because boxing is a winter sport. Summertime. Not right, but. Okay, so we can. And I've traveled to Edmonton to. And there's blizzards and ugly winter winter roads. It's like okay. So it's like lots of times and stuff. Yeah. So, so so that's Boxing Canada. Yeah. And Alberta. Right too. Yeah. But you've also. Yes. Now been in a lot of international. You've traveled a lot to a lot of different countries. Yeah. So tell us about that. So in other national championships in 2014 we have people from international Aiba. It's called International Boxing Association. They did our level one course. So I finished that course. And then three years later I have to get an upgrade. If you're not on a tournament with Aiba, you have to get recertified. So these other two people, one government from Scotland, Andy Caufield, he looks at my book and he goes, Wade, your level one already. You get recertified. He says looks at my book and going, how come you haven't traveled? I said, it's not me that travels me, it's Boxing Canada. He said, that'll change. So since 2017, when I got recertified, that started to change. So and and for me, it was all about timing with Goodyear, with holidays. Because now international, the last thing you want to do is say no. Oh, really? When you say you want to accept this and you say no, pretty sign, then you're at the bottom of the list, right? So so I got my level two in Romania. I asked, is it I? Yeah. Yes, Romania. It's called okay. I thought I thought it was Iasi. It's I see okay. So I'm looking at you going. No it's not, it's. Yes. So when I got to Romania, these guys going hey, welcome to. Yes. I said no they go yes I go no. So we and I make friends all over the world. Right. So that was my level two really good in 2018. And then you got to wait 12 more months before you go in another course for your level three. Okay. So I got my level three in nice, Serbia in 2018 December. And it takes like about a week. And is it basically you're just you're involved in. Yeah. You have matches. Well they have matches. So you're graded on your scoring. You're refereeing and then they do a a course and then they do a test at the end of the day. Two. So yeah. And then everybody in the world is there like really Russia Ukraine Poland Guatemala. What about the language. Is there a barrier there. Is everybody supposed to know English? But that's not so the case. Okay. So like Croatia or Romania, they all they know a little bit of Russian. Everybody knows over in Europe, Polish or. Right. But the guy in Guatemala, he knows Spanish. Yeah. And he knows English too. So I'd like I'd get together with him and. But at the end of the day, we know what we're talking about. Okay. We get it figured out whether whether it's Russian or whatever. Right. Yeah. Right. And we like I said, I know these people. And now, once you get your international people. So the one guy took his two level two course from Guatemala, and then he took his level three course, same guy with me. And he was at the Olympics with me too. The only two of us in all our courses that was also there. Because he's really good, right? So and I haven't seen some of the other ones for a long time. So I don't know if they dropped off the bandwagon, but yeah. Yeah. So, so when you have like each level. Yes. So then do you have to as well put in so much time at that level before you can go to the next or. Yes. Okay. So as a let's say a two star, you're allowed to do up to 15 country tournament, three star is everything in the world the Olympics you can do. Right. So that's and every time you get graded on your performance too. Right. So and so is there one man or one person who says, okay, we have this this coming up. And so we're going to invite these people. Or do you say, hey, I want to know. They, they they they get Ahold of me. Yeah, right. Like, I'm going to Dominican Republic for the Central American and Caribbean Games. I was there in Colombia in 2000, I think it was 18. As a referee and judge. Now I'm referee and judge evaluator. So. And then I go to Argentina in September as a referee judge evaluator. They contact me. Okay. And then World Boxing now was involved a new organization not Aiba. It's world boxing now. It's important. Okay great. So we'll talk about your new era in your life. Yeah, we'll get there. So now you've you're number three level. Yes. Level three. Three star. So you've been doing international? Yeah. And so tell us about some of those kinds of like. Was it Pan Am games. And so tell us a little bit about Pan Am games in Peru. Okay. Beautiful hotel. All the airfares covered, the hotels covered. And we get a per diem a day, which is a little bit, but, but once you get your social, your core people, there's about 50 people in the world that do this that are good at it, and they want the best. So, so the Pan Am games. So it becomes a boxing family. Okay. So and as I miss home, I look forward to seeing these people like we were in Africa in Dakar. And you get to meet people and it's like and then we see them over in other places, like going all like in London and then in, in Paris and stuff. It's the same people. So it's and in, in 2016, boxing was bad at the Olympics. It was crooked. So since since then it was IBO that was running it. Right. International Boxing Association and the Olympics didn't want boxing in it because of the because of the corruption. And they proved it and they suspended all the officials. Oh, wow. At those Olympics. So now we have a new generation of Olympics coming in. That's where I come in in 20 1819. Now we're on the road to Tokyo. Okay. Right. So now we do Dakar, Senegal. And then we do we're in London. And now Covid hits. Okay. And it was like, okay, the rest of the world shut down all sports on the Friday we ran till Monday. Oh really? Right. And as we're going the people from the states are going. We don't know how we're going to get back because they're constantly flights. They're doing this going. And you go to the stores and there's no toilet paper and the store shelves going, and then we stop Monday. And he said, look at the ladies. She'll get your flights ready. See when you fly out. So me and Carl, a guy from Australia, super nice friend. We don't fly out till Wednesday. So Tuesday we got the tram, went downtown, seen a little bit of England going, seen Big Ben, had fish and chips and a pint. The beer and the pub downtown is like it was perfect. And not many people around. No, it was like right. The train was empty, the track going, okay, this is kind of equal London. I'll try. Yeah. And then but coming back on the airport, it was like, okay, that was I get nervous when I fly in the first place. So I got to get to the gate and make sure that's the right gate. And it's just. Yeah, I'm like that too, right? So I was like, want to know? Yeah. And okay. Is it two hours? Yeah. Two hours. Okay. I can go get something to eat or. But I'm sure. Was it Heathrow that you were flying out of. Yeah. Yeah I'm sure like it was probably just packed. Yeah. And then they said your flights canceled. Oh, okay. Then go to this next one. Oh, that's a different terminal. Okay. Get on a cab. Paying for 40 years to go another terminal. And then the lady goes to go there. And the lady, it's just frantic. Yeah. It's right. And then a lady goes, the guy get to this lady going, I'm supposed to go, here she goes. He'll never make it. Just a minute. Gets on the phone. Okay, go. Run! Leave your luggage here. I'll get your luggage. I'm running to the airport. Last one on the plane. Right. Going. Oh, this is crazy. Right from there to Calgary. So I was like, okay, get the Calgary. No luggage. Two days later, the cab brings it home. He's like, okay, you never worry about your luggage coming home. Yeah, but getting there. Yeah, yeah. It's like yeah, but. And then I've been to the Pan Am games. The only one I haven't gone to is Commonwealth Games. Right. And there this year in I think they're in Scotland somewhere. But but at the same time I'm going to the Republic. So I'm busy anyhow. But maybe next time I'll the next Commonwealth Games I'll get a chance. Okay. So tell us what Olympics, what year did you go 2024, 2020? I was on the road to Tokyo. Okay. They get you get in the queue as they say, right. And they have your name. So we went to a different places. We got shut down, Tokyo got delayed a year, and no Canadians were chosen for officials to go to Tokyo, which I'm not that I'm okay with that. Yeah. Because in 2021, in I think it was June, we had to go to Paris to finish up what we left off in London. Yeah. So that was fine. And it was mask on all the time. It was brutal. And you're trying to referee with a mask on. Yeah okay. And so I was like to not get chosen for that is okay. But I'm still in the queue for going to Paris then. Okay. Right. So but before that I went to the European Games in Minsk, Belarus. Oh, wow. And it's and I don't know how they pick the referees and judges, but they pick one you get when you're good, you get. I'm not patting my back, but I say I did one final already. So they had they know the schedule. We don't know who's refereeing and judging until the bout before the second rounds on. Then the guy comes in and goes, okay, referee Guatemala. Judge one Canada. Judge two Nicaragua. Yeah. We're going you're in a in a room. We're in a room in the back corner. We can watch a monitor, watch the fights, but we don't. Why do they do that? Because nobody knows. That's just how they do it. Yeah. Okay. So they come in going. But we knew the last boat at these games was 90kg guys. One was from Moscow, from Russia, and one was from Minsk, Belarus. Okay. Big rivalry. Yeah. And then they go, Putin's a big boxing fan. So he will be there. And the president of Belarus or was there too. So I was like, so it was a little bit of yeah, Putin's in the house and everything going. They come in last boat referee Canada Peterson I look okay. But like I say, when I get in the ropes, everything else disappears. Everything else. And now these two guys. There are 200 pounds right there. Big guys. Now they don't want to punch each other. They just had 3 or 4 fights in the tournament. Now they respect each other so much they don't want to hit each other. I'm going walking around about 30s go by. I said stop, okay. Start mixing it up. So they're just dancing around? Yeah, because they don't want to start mixing it up. Okay, then. Then the Russian gives the other guy an eight count, hit him, knocked him down, give him the account. So I'm giving him an eight count. He's okay. He finishes the fight. I raised the Russian guy's hand. I look up in the crowd and there's Putin going, oh, God, I know he did. But I just said, you never know, right? And there's everybody, all the the dignitaries and stuff. They're trying to take a selfie with Putin behind him. Right. There's a whole section, the whole all the rows there. It's empty. There's a guy, a big guy over here in black suit. Big guy over here. Black suit. It's a security. And there's four people in the middle. And when it's Putin and the other guy from from Belarus, right, going, okay. And we come out for the national anthem. And then we could because we're not allowed in the field of play or even to watch it. So but that was last bout. We kind of snuck out into the corner a little bit and seen, okay, okay. Yeah, yeah. So that was kind of neat. That's very. Yeah. Yeah. You know you won't have that. Well you might have it again, but not for a long time. But yeah. Yeah. To have somebody like that watching your fight going that's very cool. So yeah. Then at the Olympics to the the last boat was like I already did a final. Yeah. To get one final is because you have fifth. At the end of the day, there's about 15 referees that are able to do the finals. So how they pick and choose I don't know. So I did the 51kg a couple days before and the last boat 91 plus guys. And I already did this one guy once. He was from years. Becky's done it was he was the Tokyo Olympic champ. So it was like the guys about six, seven, six, eight. He's huge right. But he the fight before he fought a bigger guy from Australia and Australia comes in and going. Welcome to your last day on earth pal. Going stop. Don't do that. No none of that. I'll come here because you didn't want to even shake his hands. Shake his hand? Yeah. Come here. Shake your hands. Okay. Shake hands. Going? Yeah. Oh my God. So make sure hands and the big guy lost. Oh did you. Yeah. The big guy from Australia lost school. He's trying to intimidate factor right. Yeah. And you don't do that. You don't have that. You don't have talking in there. It's my ring. You do as I say. So it's like. Yeah. And. And if they didn't you would shut it down. Yeah. You'd, you'd give them a warning. Take a point away. Right. Okay. Yeah. Yeah okay. So I think we had talked earlier about with the Olympics kind of the secrecy. Oh yeah. Yeah. So talk a little bit about that. Well even even the road to get there in the 2001, I went to a couple places with Senegal, and then I went to London and then Paris afterwards. Nobody went to the Olympics. The other one, it was Poland, went to Poland. And then I was supposed to go to Africa, but I had the ballad of that one. My grandson was dying of cancer. So. But then in, in February they have the it's called the first World Championships. So whoever doesn't make it in the regional or. Continentals, they have another chance to make to limpets. They have two, two world championships to make the Olympics. Yeah. So we were in Italy. We did 500 some boats in like eight days. I looked at my book and I think I judged 25 or refereed 25 and judged 88 boats in like eight days going. And that's what the Blue book. Yeah. Is your matches. Yeah. So now with World boxing, they keep everything on a computer. We don't see nothing. So it was like, okay. But and that was involved now in, in that one in Italy. So it's like it's busy. You can't tell anybody what you're there for. And then, you know, everybody's waiting, waiting to see if they're going to hear about the Olympics. So we knew about, I don't know, 60 days before that I was chosen and another guy is chosen. Now, you can't put nothing on social media. And why is that? Like what? What's the secrecy? Were they worried about? They're worried about corruption. Yes. Everything is about corruption and doing the wrong thing. And because, like a member of 2016, there was 5 or 6 officials that were united on doing the wrong thing. Okay. And they got proven hand over backwards that it was. So even when I got to the Olympics, the lady says, if your wife or spouse or whatever, nobody knows you're here still until after the Olympics. Nobody. So they see me on TV. Hey. Wade's there. Yeah. Nothing can be on social media. Yeah, right. Going. And it's. And it's very, very. We have a new system with play in place now. And the Olympic Committee started it on after 2026 or 2016. They started with the evaluation system even. It didn't really get picked up until after Tokyo. Right. So after Tokyo, they're starting to process now. Even in Tokyo, there wasn't this evaluator system. Now it's like, okay, you're being on the right foot. Right. And now I'm in a violator, and I always go. I was doing it down there in Brazil. I was just in Brazil a couple of months ago doing my course, going, well, I don't know what I'm looking at or they don't know what they're looking at. So I was like, the one going by. My buddy says to me, Wade, you're an Olympic referee judge. Trust yourself. Score it the way you see it. So me and the other evaluator, there's two evaluators watching the boat. We had it the same. There are five judges had a different. So there was four of the five judges that got sat the next step because they were wrong. Right. Because then we review it. All of us evaluators review it, and all of us were on our same page. So there was four of the five evaluator judges that got sat. So one, when you're reviewing, is that like a video, like you're going over the video and if you're going to sanction anybody, it goes for review. So there's ten of us that review it and it's a majority rules. So it's a really good system. Now on on on creating the right winner and creating the right. Right right. Yes. And the right. Everything is red corner and blue corner. There's no countries. There's no names. Right. It's just red corner. Blue corner. Yeah. That's good. So. But secrecy. We couldn't tell. Nobody was there. So I had a family reunion that same weekend that the Olympics were on. Okay. So my wife took a picture of me at the Olympics on TV, and they put that in onto a blow up stick. They put it on a stick. So I was at the family. Family union. Kind of. Yeah, but I wasn't kind of right. So she was send me pictures because we're not allowed her phones or anything in the field to even take them out of the hotel. Okay. Right. So there's zero. Yeah. And then we're at the Olympics going, where's the one guy from Cuba gone. Where's the couple of people from four days in the Or? They're gone. Going because any part. And trust me, everybody watches. Right. When? When you're judging, you can't go like this. You can't. We're in Africa. There's flies. Don't be. You can't. You can't wave a fly off your nose. Yeah, because now you're signaling. Yeah. Everybody thinks you're cheating. So your hands on the hands on the table. Watch the boat. Score it hands down or face down. You can't look at the crowd. You can't look here. They got the African tribes people doing their jig and the crowd going. Yeah, don't be watching. You can't watch that going. Everything's disciplined down. You can't scratch your head. Nothing because you're signaling somebody something. So that's what they want to. Yeah. And it's hard for some countries and some people do like. Yeah I'm down. So when I do tournaments in Canada, I have fun. Yeah. I'm way laid back. Oh, yeah. You think this is serious? No. This is this is where you have fun. Yeah. Canadian nationals. Other people going. Yeah. Be. Dude. But we had a club card. If you see me at a club card, I'm a referee. The music's going. I'm dancing in the corner. Yeah. It's like. Yeah, right. Going. I just those little moments for me are to have fun and make people have fun. But when the bell rings, it's time. Yeah, it's game on, right? Yeah, absolutely. And I have so much fun with it. Even refereeing still, it's I still get nervous going in refereeing. And if you don't, you're not normal, right? So I was like, every time now. And now I'm an evaluator going, okay. And to give you your list of what you're doing and okay here, here and here and highlight it. And you go into little room or you got a judge observer which you go into a room watching on video and score it. They take it and then all the people take their and then it all comes back the next day. What you did right wrong and stuff like that going. Yeah. So it's way better now than it was before for, for Olympic stuff and international. So every international is going to be like that. Okay okay. Which is good. So I mean going to the Olympics, the opportunity for going to the Olympics. I mean that's huge. Yes. But having said that, it's very stressful. Yeah. So sometimes you wonder do is it worth it. Is it worth it at the end of the day, going, okay, I'm Olympic referee and judge the amount of stuff and stress that I've had to go through. And that's where I'm still in now, because I don't want that to happen. When I was at the Olympics, they would come to you on day three or day four and they'll give you a score sheet. They say. They say in the morning, forget what happened yesterday or the day before. Focus. Let's focus on today. Our job is to focus on today. We had a couple of the other day where we're kind of just thought, okay, focus on today. Now it gives you a score sheet. And in the other room is another computer. You can bring up yesterday's bouts. Go judge about 75 again yesterday. Well what ring. Right. Because there's two rings going without the Olympics. There's only one ring. So okay. About 75. Yeah. Now you're still when the guys come in to get you to referee or judge the next boat, you have to be there. They don't want to see them waiting. So I always do this. So what's on my mind? I'm judging judge one again because they want me to redo it. And now they're asking for where's Wade Peterson from? Canada. He's won. I go run over there. What's on my mind? Yeah, that whole boat that I'm doing. Yeah. It's not this boat. It's reviewing. So that's the kind of stuff now that I'm involved. Won't happen. Oh, and I'm trying not to happen. That you'll never give somebody something to look at yesterday when they're still in the queue today. And why would they want you to re to look at something that happened. You can't change it. No. We had a bunch of different officials and I and I tell the people and I'm very vocal. I said, don't treat people like that. It's very rude and very hard on us. It's hard on us to begin with, stress wise, let alone to ask us this and to do this going to double standard. So I don't so I'm I'm trying. You're not going to do that. And because there violator had it this way and he thinks you should see it again this way. Only about 50 that they read. Did one change the outcome. One. So it's like is that worth all the stress of doing this? No. Just say it's bygones or bygones. Let's concentrate on today. And if you if you want to talk, if the guy sanctioned and sitting, then it's different. But if the guy is still in the queue and it's like you just put a lot of stuff in his head that you don't want. So a referee can get sanctions? Yes. Which means that they have made an error. Yes. And then they're sitting for a little bit. Every every boat for refereeing or judging is based on a 50 points. So if you have an easy boat, it's minus ten already. And if you get 30, you're sitting whether you're judging or refereeing, you're sitting. So if there's a lot of head clashes and the guy's not doing anything about the head clashing, that's minus eight, okay. That's just not clear hand instruction. That's minus three minus bad positioning. Another minus two. Yeah. So if at the end of the boat, if they're under 30 or 30 or under, they have to sit for. So where are these evaluators sitting. Sitting by outside the field of play where it's still in the field of play, but behind the referees and judges? Okay. You'll see two people with shirts on or suits on. One's a referee evaluator. One's a judge evaluator. So one's judging the boat and one's judging the referee. Okay. Right. And that they're critiquing makes that. Yeah. Right. So yeah. And if you get sanctioned as a judge, you don't referee either. Oh, okay. So I was like, okay. That's why. Just because. And how many judges are there. There's about we start judge referee. There's about 35 to 40 to start. Yeah. And then at the end of the day there's 15 okay. In the finals and semifinals are about 15. So you get graded on every one. And if you hit that plateau you can go on. Okay. Right. So per match. So you have one ref per match. And you have how many judges. Four judges. So you just put your score down and the computer people do all the computer stuff. So if my evaluator score my supervisor were the same, then the judges have to be the same. Okay. Right. And we don't we give a parameter. What the what we allow. We don't just say it's a 910 or 10 nine. We allow it ten, nine open. Then it can go nine, ten. Right. So. So you you rapped at the Olympics? Yeah. And and then you've, you've kind of now again evolved into this new era. Yeah. So was that right away after the Olympics or how soon? The IOC did the Olympics in 2000 and Tokyo and then in Paris, and the IOC was International Olympic Committee. They said, we're not doing it again. We're not covering boxing again. So world boxing became okay, evolved. So now world boxing is doing this kind of taking over from the IOC's format and creating the Gators, all this stuff. So shortly after the Olympics, I went to the world, the U19 World Championships down in Colorado as a referee and judge. Okay. And then I still didn't like some of the stuff that was going on. And I was like, okay, it's like, so I just took a year off. A year off of all boxing. Even in Alberta. I says, I'm just need just need a timeout. Yeah. And then in December, my buddy that went to the Olympics from Edmonton. So it was Edmonton guy for Canada and me that went to the Olympics. And I've known this guy for 20 years to. So we had a lot of fun in Paris, the two of us and going. But he started doing it. So he's been all over the world now and stuff. So he's going to Commonwealth Games and great, and I'm just starting as an evaluator now. So I'm a year behind type of thing, but I'm okay with that. But the guy from the States, he goes, Wade, we need more guys like us. So I'm taking the course, he says. And we need guys like you to still take the course. So I said, okay. And then because my life was good, I can just be happy to stay home and do it. But the one guy when I was at the Olympics, this one guy, said that was kind of our cold guru. He says one person can make a difference. And so I just every time I, I, I, you know, I want to step out and you know what? I'm going to make a difference because and the things that I don't want to the way I was treated, we don't want that happen. So let's treat these people. There are bread and butter for the Olympics for any sports in international is a referees judges. Let's just help them help them to make them right. And so I'm, I'm there to to make it right and help them and teach them in any way that. Yeah to get to referee and judges at the Olympics. Right. So you've been doing that for what then? A few years, the international. Yeah. Since like I say, 2017, I started international stuff, so. Yeah. Yeah. So you enjoy this evaluator piece. When I was down at my course in Brazil, I said people still after the second day said, do you enjoy it yet? It's too early to tell yet. I don't know the whole why things are getting this way. Why are we going to do this? After I was done the 4 or 5 days, but it went for ten days and I only did the evaluation systems one. Now I get what we do means and at the end of the day, it means we're doing the right thing. Right. So and I said after that I was like, yeah, I do, I do enjoy it. And knowing that I'm making a difference is is also good. Right. So, so now when you go to the Dominican. Yeah, you're the evaluator of referees and judges. Yeah, yeah. And again so how do they pick. So is it the is it the world boxing that says Wade you're going to world boxing. They, they have all our names. And then the guy organizing for the for this Chris guy, his name's whatever. But anyhow, he's in charge of organizing all the officials. He gets a hold of me going, Wade and then Argentina. Okay, I got all of your information. You want to do this one, too? Yep. And then world boxing, are you? 19 world championships in Montenegro. World boxing got hold of me going. Okay. What about this? Okay, sure. So is it kind of. This is what we have for the year. And they. They plan for the whole world. Boxing will. Right? And it goes into a draw system. All everybody's and everybody gets graded right. So let's say if you're on the bottom 10% you won't get in the queue. You know what I mean. So they won't you might get a a regional or just something for South American Games in Argentina. Something small right. Going you won't get 20 tournament right until your stuff gets back up there. Right. So everything's graded on us. Two gets graded. Two going. So so everything's a lot of pressure. Yes, yes. And I and I try to take the pressure off. Right. And I say but when it's time to. So I had to do one, one part of my testing watch my judging on. So I clear state watched it again and, and some were different. So it's just how you see it. And then I passed and they don't tell you what you failed on. Just watch it again and. Yeah okay. But my my percentage down there in in Brazil was 82% okay. So I was like okay. So it was like yeah, my presentation has to get better. But I've I got to make that more serious okay. But the biggest part now is language because more and more people don't speak English. Oh really? And it's supposed to be an English based. But I can tell you every boxer. No, stop. Every boxer knows break and holding. Yeah, right. Yeah. And they know they count eight. They when their fingers go up, they know they ate. Someone's like universal, right? Yeah. And so you've got the Dominican coming up August. Yes. Beginning of August. Yeah. And then what else do you have this year? Santa Fe, Argentina is the South American Games, and that's the middle of September. And then it got U19 World Championships in Montenegro. So I was like my wife, she could go to that one. So yes. But yes. And speaking of I mean, you have a very good wife. Oh, I, I can't even download an app. I'm not computer illiterate or whatever, so I just and the stuff has to get on the computer. Your passport signature, all that stuff. It's like, so she's my guru. She's. Otherwise I would not be where I'm at because. And I go, you need me, okay? I need you to sign here. Yeah, I don't leave. And she's. Yeah, she's got everything done. And so many times. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. It's. Yeah. She's. And so I'm going for about 8 to 10 days in August, September, October. Then I think there's a national championship down in Cape Breton in November. So hoping the world boxing has nothing for me to go to Cape Breton, help the Canadians. So yeah, I want to get the Canadian officials better so they can go international now. Right. So okay, so as we kind of like rockstar moments like you were talking about Putin. Yeah. Any other things in your career were like, wow. Like that was really cool or scary. Like some of the countries we've gone to, some of the countries, not so much, but just the last part of the Olympics, right, is when your first party at the Olympics is is surreal. And my buddy from Edmonton got it and I got the second. Okay, so the one guy goes, oh, this is how it's going to work. Canadians going, okay. But to get the last bout there after you have already done it, one final, it's like monumental, right? So it's like and I the one got an eight count on the when the bell rang and you don't stop the eight count when the bell rings. Okay. So it's like do the eight count. And the one guy was going to go to the corner nonstop back at the finish. The eight count. Good to go. It went really good. So that's awesome. Yeah I could that would to do that one takes all the stress and all the anxiety and everything that your whole life is done to get there. Yeah that was the payoff. That was worth it. Right. So I was like to be the Olympics that you can honestly say it was worth the. Yes. Yeah. And do you receive any type of a solid thing that says that, you know. No. Okay. No we don't. It's just here in your heart. Yeah. And they do have the best officials. Oh, at the Olympics. And they get a little piece of paper like a diploma paper. Yeah. And one, one of them the first, second, third. And it's all based on one. Didn't even do a final. Oh, really? So it's like, okay, a piece of paper. There's nothing to get to. Finals. And I judged five finals to. And it's seven out of the 13. And the last day there was four finals, two women's and two men. The first ladies, Jeff Verhoeven, the referee from Canada, other one from Edmonton. He refereed it. I judge the second one. He judges the third one I ref the last one. That says something about Canadian. I think we're doing something right. Yeah, right. And that's what I want to continue with. Kaiba with Canada, is to get the officials ready for international stuff. Yeah. That's awesome. And get out there and going, okay, we need to talk to people about because we have really good officials here in Canada. And and now Canada is starting to travel them too, right. So when I go to the I know there's a guy from two people from one from Ontario, one from New Brunswick going right. Okay. So and then to get chosen for the next Olympics in, in LA it's all a draw system. So it's like yeah, yeah. So and it's you put in all the work and stuff like that and you don't get drawn. It's like okay, it's just the way it is. And but your mind goes, what are you wrong? Just, just get better. Right. Going. Yeah. Right. So that's awesome. But we're we're in Argentina. No, Brazil. I mean, and we just got hotel food, right? Because it's all buffet and stuff, and it's like lukewarm and it's like, we didn't know if it was super gravy. And. Okay, so the best meal we had McDonald's. We there are Jeff from Edmonton and the guy from the States. We stayed back instead of going to the hotel between between shows went to McDonald's. The Argentina burger for McDonald's and fries is like thank you. It was like, awesome. The best food ever. Yeah, it was like, okay, that's what I did. And where we were in Brazil, because we were there and the next day we had to start our course and then everything started. We had no time. Where Iguazu Falls, it's one of the seven wonders of the world, really, 15 minutes away from where I was standing and couldn't go. Couldn't go. So that's called the places I've been. I'm going to check them off and say, that's where I want to take my wife someday when we retire. Is he Glacier Falls? Then go to Peru and do Machu Picchu. It's all in South America and then Romania do kind of stuff like that. And some of the places that are a lot of places in Europe there, you don't know if you're in Italy or you don't know if you're in Paris, because a lot is the same. Yeah. And you're just in a. Yeah. That's all you see. Yeah. So it's like in Italy, small cobblestone roads. There's nothing straight saving in Paris. I don't know who drew this. You come to the. Everything's like a pie shaped going. How these roads get this. We got we going. My wife of course. Did you go to a, like a little cafe, a bakery, a cafe and have a tea on it? No. Yeah. No. Then why not? It's in Paris. You got to have a tea one. No. Did you ever like. It's so surreal, I think so. A little boy from Redcliff, Alberta. Yep. And there you are. Just like I said. And it's hard to do this when you're from Medicine Hat and travel to Calgary all the time. And mostly on my own dollar. Yeah, back in the day, I've lost thousands of dollars traveling myself. Right. For a club card. Yeah. So it's like. But just a dedication and a love for the sport to keep doing it. We have one show a year in medicine out. Yeah. So in January and then. But to keep doing it all over Alberta and keep doing it as like it's called dedication, but it's kind of paid off I think. And now they Kaba respects me enough to call me and go to the nationals and do the courses and get the upgrades and stuff like that. So it's like, yeah, yeah, retirement is good. Passion. Your passion is just really it is. Right? It's love. And it's it's about treating the boxer's right. Yeah. Right. And the officials like I say it's it's about red corner, blue corner I don't coach I could care less about the coach about the boxers. Right. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So anything that you would like to say to kind of wrap this all up, I'm like I said, I'm still involved. It's a whirlwind now with my. And like I say, everybody makes a difference. So if you don't think you can make a difference, get involved. Yeah, right. I see people like that rattlesnake and stuff. They complain about this, complain about that, but they don't want to get involved. So if you don't get involved, you can't make a difference. Yeah. So like the one guy said, one guy make a difference. So I was like, so thank you. So that's there for you. Yes. It's all the time. And back of my head one yes I can make a difference. Yes. Yeah. And they already there's one rule. There was two rules that they, they put wrong and they were wrong and they were just not common sense. And I'm a common sense guy. So the one they already changed. So another one I'm going to get them to change it to because it's not it's unsafe for the boxers. Right. And somebody back in the day that was higher up than me before made made the change. Because that's there's three people when you're in the ring that you control the boxers. Number one, the doctor number two. Right. And the third one is who's the third one, the time keeper. So when a person loses mouthpiece, I always say this, say stop first. So now you control the boxer's number one. Yeah. And then go to the timekeeper. Say time. Well somebody above us went and say no, that's a double command okay. And I said, had I known. Well if I said to the person, no, it's not a double command, my career would have been squashed then. So I know how to just it's and you go because I've seen so many times internationally the boxers going, the fights going and they turn to the time save time and they're still fighting, right. Because they should. Yeah. Until you say stop said stop. And it takes a blip of a second to say stop time. Now you can cover it both. So that rule is still in place. You got to save time first. I want to change that because it's the safety of the boxers. Want them to stop? Yes. Stop first. And I'll tell the people. And people listen now going, because you're controlling three people. If you want the doctor in, do you say, doctor, come in and not sob? Yeah. No. Do you? So don't save time without stopping the boxers first. Make sense? Sense. Yeah. So. And the other one was when the between rounds. If a boxer stopped and quit between rounds. Well, you can't legally stop the bout in between the rounds because it's not running time. So they said it was an see now referee stops contest when the round starts. I didn't stop it. Yeah. So it should be abandonment right. So they finally changed that and I got critiqued in Italy. My evaluator said you had the wrong call. You said you said R.S.C.. I said it is RFC but it shouldn't be was should be a benefit. So he downgraded give me a score a bad score because of that going. But he didn't know either that it was. Yeah. But if I'm not stopping that why am I. Yeah why. And that was one of the rules that were not common sense. And that got changed. So it'll be working on that. Yep. Just a work in progress. You got all the right people. Yeah. That's right. Yeah. And I know the right people now. So I was like, what? I can say it's a lot of fun and. Yeah. Well I want to thank you very much for taking the time to come in today and talk to us. And I just want to say thank you on behalf of all hatters and Redcliff people and how awesome you are. And thank you, what you've been doing for the sport of boxing. Yeah, thank you very much. Thank you. It's been an honor to come here. Yeah. Thanks. Have a good day. Thank you.