Black Bombers in tough start at Olympic Qualifier

The nation's hopes for more places at the Olympics hangs in a balance as the Black Bombers are having a tough time in their final Olympic Qualifier in Morocco. Only three out of seven boxers who have fought so far have qualified for the next round.

The hope to book qualification spots for the summer Olympics now rests on the shoulders of UK-based middleweight Leron Richards, team Captain Maxwell Amponsah a heavyweight and Duke Micah who recorded a walk over. However Ben Lamptey a welterweight, Musah Rahman Lawson a light welterweight, Azumah Mohammed a light heavyweight and light flyweight Sulemana Tetteh failed to progress. Later today UK-based bantamweight Isaac Dogbe and David Bawa a light heavyweight will be in action to seek qualification spots to the next round.

The two UK-based boxers Leron Richards and Isaac Dogbe were at the centre of a team selection controversy where some complaints emerged about supposed favouritism for them at the expense of the home based boxers. Some boxers were unhappy because the two boxers were supposedly favoured by the Ghana Amateur Boxing Association during the selection process for the squad that is now in Morocco.

And with the ongoing discussion about the nation's low numbers at the Olympics Games, Sports Consultant Neil Armstrong-Mortagbe is proposing a state policy which will ensure at least long term planning for qualification to the Olympics. 'We need a policy where the state will channel for instance 40% of budgetary allocation for sports to other disciplines where we have strengths and 60 percent to football,' he told Joy Sports.

Ghana has so far won only 4 medals at the Olympic Games. Ike Quartey Snr at the 1960 event in Rome won silver in boxing while, Eddie Blay won bronze at the 1964 event in Tokyo. Another boxer Prince Amartey won bronze at the 1972 event in Munich after which the Black Meteors won a bronze in football 20 years later in Barcelona.

Story by Nathaniel Attoh/ Joy Sports