Ghanaian Boxer Banned In Beijing

Ghana's light welterweight medal hopeful,

Samuel Kotey Neequaye, has been splashed with a month ban from the sport. Make no mistake — it is not for any drug-related stuff.

It is basically to protect him.

Within the period, he is barred from participating in any competitive engagement.

This followed the Ghanaian's stunning first round loss to Briton's Saunters Bradley at the Beijing Workers Gymnasium on Sunday.

A visibly disappointed chairman of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA), Mr Solomon Ofei Darko, who hinted the Times Sports, said the decision to hold back Neequaye from any further fights until after a month, was part of reforms currently sweeping through the sport.

"As much as possible, we want to protect amateur boxers and for that matter decide what is good for them.

"It was therefore generally agreed that boxers who suffer knock-outs be made to stay off the sport for sometime to enable them recover fully, the GABA boss, emphasised.

Bradley, gold medalist at the Amateur Boxing World Championships in California, USA, early in the year, was ruthless against Neequaye as he connected with alarming regularity some wicked long rights and leaping hooks to the mid-rib of the Ghanaian until he slumped humbly onto the floor, never to beat the count.

Immediately, ring side doctors swarmed around the distraught Ghanaian and offered some first aid treatment.

Indeed, Neequaye's defeat did not come as any stunner as he appeared all-too nervous and tensed up when the Times Sports spoke to him hours before he left for the bout.

The Ghanaian light welterweight clinched silver in Namibia in the last African Olympic qualifiers, this year.

Sunday's slump was Ghana's second in the amateur boxing championship of the ongoing Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Last Saturday, middleweight Ahmed Saraku became the first casualty as he lost rather gallantly (8-12) to his Armenian opponent, Hakobeyan Andranik.

Saraku later told the Times Sports that: "I thought I did my possible best, but unfortunately it was not enough to give me the passage to the next round.

"Perhaps, it's too late now, and I only got to look ahead."