GBA boss calls for fairness in sports

The chairman of the Ghana Boxing Association, Mr Moses Foh Amoaning has challenged the inattention given to boxing, citing the unequal allocation of infrastructure in the sporting world.

For the eloquent law lecturer, the quantum of potential that exist in the boxing sorority qualifies it for the same attention as soccer.

“There are great signs of good things happening to the sport but there is no shoulder to lean on,” he lamented.

He revealed that the construction of the four beautiful stadia for the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations is a clear indication of the attention given to football as against boxing.

“I have nothing against the construction of the stadia, after all, it is part of government's efforts to develop sports in the country,” he added.

Mr. Foh-Amaoning told the Chronicle Sports that “It will surprise you to know that there are no offices for boxing at all the four stadia.”

“The irony of the issue at stake is that we bring the world titles, but when we request for money, we don't receive it,” he said.

He noted that the over concentration on football to the neglect of boxing leads to soccer always getting a lion's share of the funds allocated to sports.

He said: “You can count as many as eight national soccer teams in the country; the Stars, Meteors, Satellites, Starlets, Queens, Princesses, Damsels and the Maidens, and if government should spend say $100,000 on each of them, how much will it be?” he quizzed.

“Joshua Clottey, the number one contender for the IBF welterweight title is in town preparing for a world title, wouldn't it be proper if he receives a donation of at least a $1,000 before his fight in the US?” he added.

He however, said that the government has given the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) the assurance of providing a boxing gymnasium at all the four stadia in future.

And until that dream is realized, he pointed out that he is putting pieces together to ensure that the sport moves forward.

The GBA boss said that as part of efforts to ensure that a paradigm shift takes place in boxing, it will strengthen the administrative, sponsorship package, equipment, training and facility systems of the sport.

“We have been operating on ad hoc basis all these while, and when we keep operating in that system, it will take us another ten years to produce another world champion,” said Mr. Foh-Amoaning.

He added that the execution of the five-pronged strategy is the only means that will ensure that boxing assumes a paradigm shift in this country.