Cambodian fighter Thon Vanna was declared the winner of a match with Spain’s Martin Sandro, despite the Spaniard outscoring him in all five rounds. Bayon
The Khmer Boxing Federation (KBF) has officially disciplined referee Long Vibol, citing poor performance officiating a recent fight, which attracted widespread public criticism. Three other judges were also penalised for issuing incorrect scores in an earlier bout. However, some fight fans have described the penalties as too light to deter future misconduct.
According to reliable sources from within the federation, Vibol was suspended from officiating for four weeks due to his controversial handling of the Mas Fight bout between Cambodian fighter Namthieu Kun Khmer and Myanmar’s Joe Phyu on May 18 at Town Arena. The federation’s decision came today, May 20, after a backlash over Vibol’s delayed intervention when Namthieu locked Joe Phyu in a dangerous chokehold, raising serious concerns about the Burmese fighter’s safety.
The incident prompted a strong reaction from fans, especially those from Myanmar, who demanded that Khov Chhay, president of the KBF, take serious action — specifically, removing Long Vibol from his position. In the end, the federation opted for a temporary four-week suspension, a move that many still consider far too soft.
In addition, three judges have been suspended from officiating for three weeks after it was determined they incorrectly scored a May 14 bout between Thon Vanna and Martin Sandro of Spain, held at Bayon Arena on Koh Pich. The judges wrongly awarded the win to the Cambodian fighter, Vanna.
Referee Long Vibol faced widespread criticism for failing to halt a fight quickly enough after a chokehold was applied. Town Arena
On May 17, the federation released a statement announcing the punishment of the three unnamed judges.
After strong criticism over the scoring, an emergency meeting was held to review the match footage. After a thorough video analysis, the federation determined that Sandro was the rightful winner, having outscored his opponent across all five rounds. However, the original result stands because under Kun Khmer regulations, once a result is declared, it cannot be overturned — though penalties can still be issued.
Despite the suspension, the fact that the judges’ names weren’t disclosed drew criticism from the public, who saw the move as lacking transparency and accountability. Many said this kind of leniency reflects a culture of favouritism and weak enforcement, which fails to root out corruption or incompetence in the sport.
The current punishments — just three or four weeks of suspension — were viewed by many as insufficient, especially since similar patterns of misconduct have occurred repeatedly since the leadership of former federation president Tem Morn. This suggests that soft penalties haven’t deterred bad behaviour among officials, and inconsistent judging continues to plague the sport.
That said, under the new leadership structure of the federation’s 8th mandate (2025–2029), officials who are suspended do not receive stipends, unlike under previous administrations.
KBF president Chhay issued the clarification from Sri Lanka, where he is currently on a mission.
“The officials suspended during this period will not receive any stipend. If we suspend someone but still pay them, that’s not a punishment — it’s encouragement,” he added.
This means that Vibol and the three judges will not be paid during their suspension period. Additionally, technical officials who fail to show up for duties without a valid excuse will also not receive stipends, even if they are not officially suspended.
