Former President of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), Mr.Samir Captan, has asked the current GBA administration to focus on boxers, promotors and investors of the sport and to purge the power struggle creeping into the Authority.
That, he explained, does not auger well for the growth of the sport and development of boxers.
The revered promotor said the GBA was mandated to prioritize boxers, trainers, promotors and investors, adding that any contrary approach will result in the decline of the sport.
The visibly worried WBO President made these comments at a press briefing announcing Ghanaian boxer Sheriff Quaye’s WBO lightweight contest against Tanzanian Emmanuel Amos for the vacant lightweight belt in Accra on Monday.
Mr. Captan’s comment followed a few challenges encountered with the GBA in the lead to the organization of the bout which he believed could have happened earlier.
Regrettably, Mr.Captan, now president of the World Boxing Organization (WBO)Africa, observed that the GBA was not working in the interest of the stakeholders and admonished them to get their acts together.
“The GBA is not focusing on those who matter in the sport and these are the boxers, promotors, investors and others. This infighting and interest-seeking has never served the Authority well and will never lead us to where we want the sport to be. “
Mr. Captan expressed his frustrations with the GBA after pointing out that their foot-dragging and uninterested posture had delayed the fixing of the title fight.
“The bout was originally scheduled to take place earlier but the posturing and scheming of the GBA meant that we had to push it to this new date. Talks are rife about the power-struggle at the GBA and this reputation is not right.”
“I would ask them to place the interest of the stakeholders at the heart of their operations as this is the only way to move boxing forward.”
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
