Federation Rescues Boxing Clubs

Ambassador Ray Quarcoo

The Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation (GABF), in collaboration with the German Boxing Federation (GBF), will present boxing equipment worth thousands of dollars to some gyms in the country at the Media Centre of the Accra Stadium this Thursday.

According to the two Federations, the initiative was geared towards promoting and developing the sport at the grass root level.

Boxing clubs like Will Power, Attoh Quarshie, Black Panther, Bukom, Wisdom, Bronx, Akotoku Academy, Sonia, Fit Square and Square Deal- all Accra-based clubs – will benefit from the gesture.

Also to benefit from the gesture are clubs from the Upper East Region, and according to the president of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation, Ambassador Ray Quarcoo, the donation to the Upper East clubs is a clear demonstration of the Federation's quest to reach out to all the regions to develop the sport.

The GABF president pointed out in an interview: 'The availability of standard sporting equipment and infrastructure influences the technical development of the boxer, encourages mass participation and improves the quality of the sport.

'When this is achieved, it facilitates the building of a strong foundation for the production of quality boxers for the national team, hence this initiative.'

Shortly after assumption of office in 2009, taking cognizance of the numerous challenges in the promotion and development of amateur boxing in the country, the GABF boss revamped the regional Associations, working through the Regional Sports Directorates (RSDs).

And acknowledging the deficit in both technical and logistics of the regional associations, he tasked his Technical Committee to embark on a nationwide regional on-site familiarization tour, which resulted in the appointment of Regional Liaison Officers to help promote the sport at the regional level.

In March 2012, through his personal efforts and at his own expense, he donated boxing equipment worth several thousands of dollars which were distributed to some selected regions through their RSDs.

The items included punching bags, wall pads, gloves, skipping ropes, mouth pieces and instructors' hand pads; and the beneficiaries were Central, Volta, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions.

Each region received two punching bags, two skipping ropes, two pairs of gloves and two mouth pieces.

From The Sports Desk