British officer condemns seizure of boxing ring

Accra, Feb 16, GNA - A key member of the British Boxing Club currently in the country as guests of the Greater Amateur Boxing Association (GAABA) is displeased with the seizure of a boxing ring they brought into the country as a gift to their guests.

Kenneth Marsh, a Metropolitan Police Officer, who is the Treasure and Coordinator of the Haringey Police and Community Boxing Club in London, said he was disappointed that the ring had been embargoed at the Kotoka International Airport.

He said it cost the Haringey club about ?5,000 (five thousand British pounds) to procure the ring and get it down to Accra and could not understand why they had been asked to pay ?2,000 before it would be released to them after having established that the ring was meant to be a gift.

The Treasurer said their gesture was to boost GAABA's efforts in ridding the streets of the youth by providing them with the opportunity to take to boxing and redefine their lives.

Looking very disturbed, Mr Marsh said under the circumstances, all they had to do was to inform the British High Commission about their plight, adding that such situations would discourage people from helping the sport.

On how the Haringey Club is sustained, Mr Marsh said they indulged in fund raising activities to fill their coffers and prosecute their programmes.

The coordinator disclosed that his club had embarked on tours in about 10 countries and had produced boxers for the English national team, while three of their products were in the paid ranks. He said it was a community project which attracted the sympathy and goodwill of wealthy members of the society who support it to achieve its goal of getting the kids out of the streets and away from crime. The leader of delegation, Mr Chris Hall said it was the intention of the Club to invite the GAABA team to reciprocate their visit and promised to sustain the new relationship they had established with the Ghanaian Association.

Meanwhile, Mr Richard O. Lamptey, General Secretary of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) assured the visitors that he would assist them in clearing the ring at the airport. He presented Ghana 2008 T shirts to members of the British team on behalf of the national association. 16 Feb 08