'I Never Embezzled Boxers' Money'

The ex-vice Chairman of GABA Commander Abraham Johnson has described accusations of he pocketing some monies of members of the boxing team and he being fired from his position as vice chairman as false, baseless and an unholy attempt at soiling his hard-won reputation.

He stressed that he has never pocketed any money belonging to any member of the team neither is he an employee of the National Sports Council for him to be fired. He contended that the allegation is a fraudulent attempt by Colonel John sharpe and his close ally Brigadier George Brock to discredit him due to his unwavering stance against certain unjust practises that were going on in respect of the welfare of the team and other members.

Cdr Johnson explained that the accusation of having pocketed some monies belonging to the boxers is a conscious twisting and misrepresentation of the facts of what happened when the team travelled to the All African Games in Johannesburg in 1999. Last Wednesday, the Chronicle published a story culled from a Radio Gold Talkshow Programme which indicated the accusation that was made against Cdr Johnson by Col Sharpe.

Commander Johnson explained that before they left Johannesburg for Ghana, he wanted to purchase a computer but all the money that was left on him was $50. He therefore spoke to one of the boxers - Osumanu Adamah - who had won a silver medal and had been given a cash award in the form of traveller's cheque. "I told him to loan me an amount of $150 and added that I will remit him on our return to Ghana. I gave the $50 dollar I had on me to him and that was left with $100 for me to pay back".

On his return to Ghana, Cdr Johnson said he travelled to Takoradi for two weeks and obviously, some of the boxers who had seen him take money from Osmanu, came to him and told him that I wasn't going to remit him". Obviously, the boy was angered by this unmodest attempt at blackmail, according to the Commander, so he went over to Col Sharpe to report the incident to him but to his shock and dismay, the Colonel added to what the boxers had said.

But later on when Osmanu returned home, he realised the money had been deposited with his father by Cdr Johnson in his absence. Osmanu Adama who spoke to the Chronicle confirmed the story. But why then the accusation? "You see, Col. Sharpe operated an autocratic system where he took decisions all by himself without consulting any body and also had no interest in the welfare of the team.

These were the injustices that I stood against that made them (Col. Sharpe and Brigadier Brock) dislike me, since the latter is a close ally of the former". He recounted that in an instance of lack of interest in the welfare of the boxers, one Charles Adamu who was entitled to a qualifying bonus of $500 or its equivalent in cedis came and told the Col. that his wife had delivered at the hospital and that he needed ?100,000 to take care of him so he should give him the money for it to be remitted later but the Col. declined coldly.

"I had to see one Mr. Daasebre, Director of National Sports Council to get the money as a loan from him to give to the boy". On the allegation of he having been sacked, he explained that at no point in time has he been given an appointment letter as an employee by the National sports Council for which he should be fired but he was just called in to help build the association.

Commander Johnson believes that the continued stay of Colonel Sharpe and his cohorts at GABA marks the bane of amateur boxing in Ghana, since virtually all the boxers are leaving for Professional boxing. He is therefore calling on the new sports minister to look into the hierarchy of GABA.