Peter Assandoh cries foul

Accra, Nov 9 - GNA - Peter Assandoh, a boxing coach of distinction said he remains unemployed despite winning honours at a coaching course in Italy last year because of the inability of those who control sports to take decisions.

In an exclusive interview with the GNA Sports, Assandoh said though the Ghana Boxing Authority, the National Sports Council and the Ministry of Youth, Education and Sports appreciate his achievements at the coaching course, they are prevented from appointing him by red tape. He said for the three months that the course lasted in Italy he won honours in all the disciplines, leading to the award of a certificate and diploma, which make him a first class coach in the world, but unfortunately he has remained unemployed about a year after he returned home.

The coach said the Italians were so much impressed by his knowledge of the sport that they attached him to their Olympic team for a month so that he could teach polish them up and infuse certain techniques into their methods to bring them up to world standard.

He showed off a medal, which was donated to him by the president of the Italian Boxing Federation for his high level of performance by coming tops from a field of 32 participants from all the continents of the world and said, he refused offers from the hosts and Belgium to coach their teams because of his high sense of patriotism.

"Unfortunately when I returned home I have not been given a job because nobody is prepared to take responsibility for my employment because I am not a foreigner."

Assandoh said even though the GBA and the NSC facilitated his course, he did not receive his full remittances of two thousand, three hundred fifty dollars while in Italy, compelling him to be indebted to some people who loaned him money as he hoped to receive his money before the end of the course.

"I am still owing some people money in Italy and they keep calling me regularly, asking for their money because I received only one thousand three hundred dollars, leaving a balance of one thousand and fifty dollars."

He said he could not pay his bill while in Italy and if Mr Moses Foh-Amoaning, acting chairman of the GBA had not succeeded in securing a thousand dollar support from the Ghana Olympic Committee for him, he would have ended up in serious trouble.

The coach said he has written to the Honourable Minister of Youth, Educationa and Sports on the issue but has since not received any reply. On the state of boxing in the country, Assandoh said there is the need to embark on an outreach programme that will take boxing to the doorsteps of the people in order to identify those who have the potential and train them to stardom.

He said there are many potential world-beaters in the country and if the right people are identified and encouraged and the right techniques and tactics are taught them, Ghana could produce many world champions within the next three years.