Why Neglect Amateur Boxing?

WHEN one casts one?s mind to the good old days when the national amateur boxing team, the Black Bombers, ruled Africa and the Commonwealth in the 1960s and 1970s, one is saddened to see the sport that laid the golden egg for the nation suffer so much deterioration and hopelessness.

For, those were the days when Ghanaians were assured of at least a bronze medal at international tournaments because those periods marked Ghana?s boxing supremacy in Africa and the Commonwealth. Indeed, the nation was recognised as one of the best world amateur boxing countries.

Coached by the late ?Black Flash,? Roy Ankrah, the first African Commonwealth Featherweight Champion in the pre-independence era, the Bombers produced fighters like Eddie Blay, current Chairman of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Association, Ike Quartey Snr, Sulley Shittu, Eastern Regional boxing coach, Flash Emma and lately former world boxing legend ?Boxinghene? Azumah Nelson. These were the heroes of the sport, who were also handled by Andrews Gyane-Martey, Agbana, Freeman Kwame and few others under whose tutelage those heroes rose to prominence either in their amateur or professional careers.

Notwithstanding the honour that amateur boxing has done this nation, the sport has sunk so low that there is hardly anything positive to write about it these days. Even at the Continental and Commonwealth level, the sport has in recent years failed to shine.

One wonders whether anybody at the Ministry of Education and Sports and the National Sports Council has seriously taken note of the downward slide of the sport.

Of course, politics is partly to blame for the sad state of affairs. Square pegs were in the past put in round holes to manage some of the disciplines under the NSC and the GABA was by no means one of such disciplines. It did happen that the man who has now taken over the chairmanship of the GABA, Eddie Blay, was some years ago forced out of that position, despite his enormous experience as former boxer and trainer. Thank God he is back in the same saddle. And this is now the time for him to prove to his detractors that the stone that they rejected can be the cornerstone to resuscitate the dying sport.

Happily, my good old friend Eddie has accepted the big challenge to re-build the sunken image of amateur boxing with an appeal to corporate bodies to financially support ?our dream of mining many valuable gold medals? for Ghana at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia next year. Eddie Blay, who earned a number of medals at the African, Commonwealth and Olympic Games during the Ohene Djan administration in the 1960s, told the GNA that his Association had mapped out ?training regiments and strategies to ensure that the team glitters at the Games,? but was faced with the problem of funding.

Said he: ?Our boxers have the character to win medals and if we have the right preparations, we shall bring back the memories of the golden era and Ghanaians will be proud of the Bombers.?

Eddie Blay is reported to have promised the nation that everything will be done to enable the Bombers win more medals at the Games.

This is a big promise by the GABA boss, who is determined to guide the Bombers to earn laurels at the Games. However, much would depend on funding, without which the boxers can hardly make any impact at the Games.

It?s rather unfortunate that the hen that laid the golden eggs has been rendered unproductive or ?barren? for so long. But since God helps those who help themselves, much will depend on the Association to make serious official and personal contacts with corporate bodies and philanthropists because sponsorship often comes with the right contacts are made.

Nobody doubts the fact that Ghanaians have the passion for soccer and that most organisations would wish to associate themselves with the more popular disciplines. However, there are other lesser sports that have managed to secure sponsorship packages. It is, therefore, the duty of GABA to work harder to attract its share of sponsorship.

It is also the responsibility of the Ministry, NSC and all concerned to go over to Macedonia to help amateur boxing resurrect from its grave. And to all and sundry, let?s resuscitate amateur boxing because there are fine boxers who can improve the country?s medal haul in future international boxing tournaments. Come tomorrow afternoon and Ghana would be at the threshold of making her debut at the World Cup in their last qualifier against Cape Verde. This, of course, is the hour for Ghana to join the world?s soccer giants in Germany next year, an achievement that would bring to an end the over 40 year wait to catch the Golden Fleece. And as we wait for the D-day, Ghanaians must pray that coach Ratomir Dujkovic and his boys would snatch their ticket to Germany. All the best of luck, Black Stars.

Till next week, that?s the way it is!