Bermuda Thai Boxing Brings Home Gold and Silver Medals
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s presence on the international combat sports scene was firmly marked recently as the Bermuda Thai Boxing team secured two medals, including a gold, at the Pride Muay Thai League tournament in Miami.
Representing the island were Deonde Morris and Dario Marcianese, both demonstrating skill and composure against highly experienced opponents.
Deonde Morris was the star performer of the day, successfully claiming the Gold Medal in his division. Morris faced a challenging opponent who specialized as a Krav Maga and close quarters combat instructor, but the Bermudian secured the win.
Reflecting on his victory, Morris was delighted with the return to competitive action. "I’m mainly happy to be competing again next to my guys, that’s always been a dream of mine. I’m happy to bring Bermuda home some more medals,” he said.
Dario Marcianese began his tournament strongly, winning his opening match against an aggressive opponent with a mixed martial arts background. Marcianese’s journey continued to the final, where he ultimately secured the Silver Medal, ceding the match to his opponent via the judges' decision.
Morris praised his teammate's progression, stating, “Dario’s performance improved every round, I’m very proud of his progress and silver medal finish.”
Morris also commended the organization of the event: "The competition was well run and professional... I had the pleasure of speaking with the founder and commending him on how well things were run. I even got to give a brief interview praising the promotion."
The successful trip marks a significant achievement for the Bermuda Thai Boxing team in a highly competitive international setting.
Friday, October 03, 2025
Roach & Simmons Weigh-In for Bouts
IslandStats.com
Bermudian boxers Adrian Roach and Dash Simmons have both weighed in for their international bouts in Mexicali, Baja California, on October 4. The pair will compete on the same card at the Gimnasio de Mexicali, marking a significant step for both fighters.
For Roach, the fight will be his first international professional bout. The Bermudian will face Mexico's Victor Emmanuel López (2-3) in a four-round welterweight contest. Roach will be looking to get his professional career off to a strong start on foreign soil.
Meanwhile, Simmons, who has been making a name for himself in the light heavyweight division, is set to return to the ring against Mexican Francisco Rios. Simmons has climbed into the top 20 of the light heavyweight rankings in the United States and will be seeking to extend his unbeaten record in a six-round bout. Rios's record stands at 16 wins, 16 losses, and 3 draws.
Thursday, October 02, 2025
Williams Concludes CONCACAF Head of Referee Workshop
IslandStats.com
CONCACAF successfully conducted its annual Member Association Head of Referee Workshop, welcoming Heads of Refereeing from across the Confederation in attendance including Bermuda Football Association Head of Referees Crenstant Williams.
The event once again reinforced CONCACAF’s commitment to strengthening refereeing structures, developing talent, and promoting consistency in officiating throughout the region.
Comprehensive Agenda to Advance Refereeing Standards
The 2025 workshop featured a robust program that addressed both administrative and technical priorities, ensuring alignment among refereeing leadership across all Member Associations. Key sessions included:
Development Initiatives: A recap of the Winter and Summer Referee Seminars, which provided essential training and preparation ahead of major competitions, review of the successful conclusion of the 7th Generation Referee & Instructor Academy, highlighting key components and achievements, updates on the Talent and Mentor Program, showcasing pathways for referee development, and the introduction of a new initiative focused on hosting Regional Seminars in the Caribbean, aimed at strengthening MA referee education and support.
Assessment Program Best Practices: Sharing of proven models to enhance referee evaluation, feedback, and performance improvement.
2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Performance Recap: Review of tournament officiating, with recognition of successes and analysis of areas for further growth.
Laws of the Game Updates (2025/2026): A technical presentation on the latest modifications, aimed at ensuring consistent interpretation and application across Concacaf competitions.
Collaboration Across the Confederation
Beyond the formal presentations, the workshop fostered a collaborative learning environment between Concacaf and the refereeing departments of its Member Associations. This exchange of knowledge and best practices further strengthened alignment and reinforced the collective responsibility of elevating refereeing standards across the Confederation.
Ongoing Commitment to Excellence
The strong participation and productive discussions highlighted the dedication of Concacaf’s refereeing leadership to raising standards across the region. By providing this platform for collaboration and alignment, the Confederation continues to prioritize consistency, professionalism, and excellence in officiating.
Concacaf thanks all participating Heads of Refereeing for their invaluable contributions and reaffirms its commitment to supporting referees at every level of the game as preparations continue for the upcoming season.
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Islandstats.com Football Show Live at 6 pm
IslandStats.com
The much-anticipated “IslandStats Football Show” is set to grace the airwaves once again, today at 6:00 pm. This weekly program promises to be a vital hub for football enthusiasts, delivering comprehensive updates of the Premier and First Division.
Fans can tune in to catch the latest scores, highlights, and analyses. Whether you’re a die-hard supporter or a casual observer, “The IslandStats Football Show” aims to be your go-to destination for all things football-related.
We will be discussing the start of the Premier Division season, also the altercation that took place at Bernard Park on Friday.
Expect more than just match results. The show’s dynamic format invites coaches, players, and Bermuda Football Association officials to join live discussions. Their firsthand insights, tactical breakdowns, and candid reflections promise to enrich the football discourse.
Saturday, September 27, 2025
WADA Release 2026 Prohibited List
IslandStats.com
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes the Full 2026 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List), which was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) during its meeting on September 11th 2025 and enters into force on January 1st 2026.
WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: “We encourage athletes, their entourage and all stakeholders to acquaint themselves with the Summary of Major Modifications to avoid inadvertent use of substances and methods that are prohibited in sport for 2026. In particular, we kindly ask all Anti-Doping Organizations around the world to share the List and its related documents with athletes, their entourage, and other relevant stakeholders under their jurisdiction.
Further examples or clarifications have been added to the following substance classes to help athletes and their entourage better identify prohibited substances: S1. Anabolic agents, S2. Peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics, S4. Hormone and metabolic modulators, and S6. Stimulants.
The dosing intervals of salmeterol have been changed to avoid potential ergogenic effects, though the maximum daily delivered dose remains the same.
More details have been given about the prohibition of withdrawal of blood and blood components. The non-diagnostic use of carbon monoxide (CO) has been added to the Prohibited Methods as a new section, M1.4. The use of carbon monoxide for diagnostic purposes, such as total hemoglobin mass measurements or the determination of pulmonary diffusion capacity, is not prohibited. Cell components (e.g., nuclei and organelles such as mitochondria and ribosomes) have been added to the existing prohibition of using normal or genetically modified cells.
It has been clarified in the Glucocorticoids Washout Table that use of sustained-release formulations may result in detectable glucocorticoid levels past the washout period due to prolonged systemic absorption.
