Ghana to host SCSA Zone 3 boxing

Ghana has been mandated by the African Boxing Confederation (ABC) to host the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) Zone Three boxing elimination series after Niger, the original hosts had pulled out.

Niger gave disbandment of their Amateur Boxing Authority by the ABC and financial problems as reasons for the pull out. Addressing a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, Eddie Duplan, and President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Authority (GABA) said Ghana stepped in to host the event when it became apparent that Liberia who were given the option to host it would not be capable.

Duplan, who doubles as the President of the SCSA zone Three and the Vice President of the ABC said he decided to accept hosting the event to rescue the competition and to save Ghana from the problem of finding the much needed foreign exchange for participation since it would be cheaper to host than to travel with a contingent of sixteen boxers outside the country.

The competition is scheduled to start on 30 March to 5 April at the fore court of the Accra Sports Stadium. It would serve as elimination for the African Boxing Championships scheduled for Cameroon from 9 to 18 May where only gold and silver medallist would be allowed to compete.

He said so far three countries have confirmed their participation - Togo, Cote D'Ivoire and Burkina Faso - while Niger and Liberia have already communicated their inability to participate. "We have not heard anything from Nigeria even though we have tried all we could; but there is a place for them even if they turn up at the last minute".

Duplan said the contingents are expected in Accra on the Sunday 30 March. They would be housed at the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) village. He said the real competition would start with the opening ceremony on Tuesday April 1, followed by preliminary rounds and would run everyday till the finals on Saturday 5 April.

Duplan said scoring for the tournament would be on manual basis since visiting officials are not familiar with the computerised scoring system.

On preparations of the Black Bombers, he said the team had been on non-residential camping since November last year but have since 6 January moved into residential camping. "Moral in camp is very high and from the level of preparation the boys would definitely bring glory to the nation at the end of the competition"

He said the GABA has secured a ?20m sponsorship from Nescafe and is in the final stages of negotiations with Enterprise Life Insurance Company, Enterprise Insurance and Vanguard Insurance for further sponsorship.

Duplan said the GABA would soon meet with Edward Osei-Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports to solicit government help for the organisation of the competition.