Distinguished Ghanaian sports administrator, Ray Quarcoo, was honoured as a guest by David Dein, a former co-owner of Arsenal Football Club, at his book launch, yesterday, in London, United Kingdom.
The launch of the book: “Calling The Shots: How to Win in Football and Life,” attracted other high profile guests, including Arsene Wenger, the legendary coach of Arsenal, whose biggest supporter, Queen Elisabeth II, has passed away, thrusting the UK into a state of mourning, and transition of power to her successor, her son – King Charles, realigning the succession hierarchy.
In spite of the passing of the late monarch, a son of the club, David Dein, spotlights insight into the inner workings of the sport, shaped by his association with the elite English premiership club, immortalised in his book.
Dein introduced little known Arsene Wenger to the English game, and presided over the remarkable season of Arsenal’s unbeaten domestic campaign in the 2003-2004 season, dubbed the ‘Invincible Season,’ driving the club to major triumphs, on and off the pitch, achievements chronicled in the book.
In recognition of Ambassador Quarcoo’s experience as a sports administrator, a business executive, a philanthropist and a motivator, his good friend, Mr Dein, one of the most significant and influential figures in English football, hosted him as one of a few special guests at his book launch, on Tuesday.
Mr Quarcoo, appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for Sports in Ghana, in June 2011, thanks to his philanthropic and destiny-changing contributions to Ghanaian youth in sports.
Unfortunately, in late January, this year, Ambassador Quarcoo, a former president of the Ghana Boxing Federation, was knocked down by an illness.
In consequence, he was admitted to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, in the Ghanaian capital, but he beat the count, and got to his feet, after approximately seven weeks of hospitalization.
Currently in recuperative mode, Ambassador Quarcoo is on a medical check-up in the United Kingdom, for further evaluation, during which he has gained the attention of one of the central figures of the modern game, David Dein, and the legendary coach – Arsene Wenger, a FIFA luminary, who forwarded the book.
Former heavyweight champion, Frank Bruno, ex-middleweight titlist Nigel Benn, Filipino great, Pacquiao, the International Boxing Hall of Famer, Azumah Nelson, the legendary boxing promoter, Don King, and the late boxing writer and sports historian, Bert Sugar, have all basked in eminent association with the affable diplomat.
Ambassador Quarcoo, the Consul of Haiti in Ghana, is a patron of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG).
From 1991 till 1993, the distinguished sports administrator served as the Vice Chairman of the Welfare Committee of the Black Stars, the senior national men’s football team of Ghana.
Ghana is paired with Portugal, South Korea and nemesis, Uruguay, in Group H of the 22nd edition of the World Cup, the global showpiece to be staged in Qatar, the first Arabic nation to host the Mundial, scheduled to span Sunday, November 20 until Sunday, December 18, this year.
BY EKOW ASMAH
