GRi Sports 05 - 02 - 2003

B.A. United faction engage in justifier

Otumfuo names seven for Kotoko IMC

Abeasi lauds Aggrey C’ttee sports plan

Lack of funds to affect preparation for games

Narh’s manager says they’re in contract

Boxing competition for Black Bombers

Commonwealth release 2003 ratings

Coaches, referees and administrators undergo training

 

 

B.A. United faction engage in justifier

 

Sunyani (Brong Ahafo Region) 05 February 2003 - A Ben Kusi representative side beat Sammy Bennett representative side 2-0 in a special justify-your-inclusion friendly soccer match organised for last years Gala lords B.A. United, at the Sunyani Coronation Park on Sunday. Both goals were scored in the second half.

 

The match was organized by a break-away faction of the club's management, ‘Alliance For Change’, led by "King" George Arthur, a former top player of the club. Despite its friendly nature, the match was watched by a large crowd including Donald K. Antoh, Joe Boahen and Dr Oppong Yeboah, all key members of the Board of Directors of the club.

 

The club's other managerial group, known as ‘Continuity’, led by Kingsley Osei Bonsu, alias ZICO, was visibly absent. The match whetted the appetite of supporters who longed for such an encounter because of the internal wrangling in the club since last year.

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Otumfuo names seven for Kotoko IMC

 

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 05 February 2003 - The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the spiritual Head and owner of Kumasi Asante Kotoko F/C, on Tuesday named a seven-member Interim Management Committee to run the affairs of the club.

 

They are Sylvester Asare-Owusu, Managing Director of Silvercrest Supermarket in Kumasi who is the chairman of the committee, Yaw Boafo, a Kumasi-based lawyer, the member-secretary, Nana Yaw Owusu, representing the old players (AKOPA) and Kofi Owusu-Ansah, Managing Director of Pick ‘N’ Pay Supermarket, member.

 

The rest are George Ayisi-Boateng, a prominent fuel distributor in Kumasi, member, Kwadwo Nyantakyi, Ashanti Regional Circles Chairman, representing the Circles, and Alhaji Tanko, member.

 

The names were released by Kofi Owusu-Boateng, Personal Secretary to the Otumfuo. A release issued after the meeting between the Otumfuo and the IMC asked all stakeholders to extend a hand of cooperation to the IMC.

 

The naming of the seven-member committee follows the dissolution of both the board and management at the Manhyia Palace last Saturday.

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Abeasi lauds Aggrey C’ttee sports plan

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 05 February 2003 - The Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Kwesi Abeasi, has described as innovative the Joe Aggrey Committee Report on "Plan for Sports Development in Ghana," and pledged the support of the Centre towards the new vision which seeks to reposition sports as the embodiment of the spirit of a new Ghana and a tool for poverty alleviation.

 

Addressing members of the Committee for the Implementation of the report, who called on him to solicit the support of the GIPC in evolving a new attractive incentive regime for greater private sector participation in the provision of sports infrastructure, Abeasi pointed out that there were very germane plans in the report which when carefully pursued might set the proper direction for sports development as a veritable business venture in the country.

 

The five-member Implementation Committee, under the chairmanship of Dr E. Owusu-Ansah, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council, were at the Centre to request for concession for investors in sports infrastructure development similar to what pertain in the real estate industry.

 

These include longer periods for tax exemption for the construction of stadia, leisure centres, swimming pools, gymnasia and courts, as well as other sports infrastructure to be spread all over the country for the attainment of the vision as designed in the report.

 

Abeasi promised to set up a committee to immediately come out with guidelines for incentives for sports infrastructure development for the attention of the government, saying "consideration would be given to the possibility of making sports part of future investment trips abroad."

 

He advised that football should be de-emphasised while more attention is given to other sports disciplines. Abeasi agreed that it would be of interest to carry out an economic impact assessment of sports in Ghana as a prelude to the process of passing the National Sports Bill in order to determine its contribution to the national economy and also quantify its strategic importance for national development planning and its use as an economic indicator.

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Lack of funds to affect preparation for games

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 05 February 2003 - Lack of funds to undertake a number of planned programmes by associations under the National Sports Council (NSC) has been identified as factors that could hamper the country's chances of winning medals in this year's All African Games scheduled for Nigeria.

 

This came to light when the General Secretaries of the various associations outlined their programme for this year at the monthly ‘meet the sporting press’ series in Accra on Tuesday.

 

Most of the General Secretaries said even though they have drawn elaborate programmes that could win laurels for the country these could not be implemented because of non- availability of funds.

 

The Ghana Amateur Athletics Association (GAAA) who were the first to address the meeting said they are preparing feverish for the All African Games and for the first time they would change their mode of selection into the national athletics team.

S. S Attuahene, Head Coach said every athlete would have to justify his inclusion into the national team by participating in the National trials.

 

He said to avoid the excuse by most of the foreign-based athletes that they get injured when they use the tartan tracks at the Accra and Kumasi Sports stadiums, plans are afoot to have the national trials preferably in Togo to select the national team.

 

Attuahene said as part of their talent identification programme for the year, the country has been divided into five different parts to ensure that the every athlete with the talent is brought into the net.

 

Eddie Duplan, Chairman of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) said their preparation for the Games started immediately after the Commonwealth Games with their participation in the zone three boxing tournament in Benin where they came tops with five Gold, five silver and two bronze.

 

He said they have continued with a non-residential camping at the Accra sports Stadium preparing for this year's West African zone three championship which would be used as a qualifier for the African Championship. He said after the All African Games the team would most likely participate in the world Boxing Championship in Bangkok Thailand.

 

Kudjo Fianu, Administrative Secretary of Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) said his association would set its activities for the year rolling with the LG Top 4 contest, which is aimed at keeping teams competing in the continental club championships in shape.

 

He said Ghalca would in the course of the year organise seminars for club administrators to ensure that they shed some of the crude methods of organising their programmes to ensure that they attract sponsorship to reduce the burden of financing football on government.

 

Saka Acquaye, Secretary General of the Ghana Handball Association said Ghana has been handed the right to host the qualifier for the All African Games in Accra and this would involve six other African countries.

 

Other associations like Tennis, Table Tennis, Cycling, Basketball and Special Olympics outlined their programmes for the year. Present at the meeting were Albert Agbozo, Chief Administrative Officer of the NSC and other member of the NSC.

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Narh’s manager says they’re in contract

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 05 February 2003 - Al Hamilton, manager of Raymond Narh, National Super Featherweight champion, on Tuesday said he has a valid contract with the champion and anyone interested in Narh must use the appropriate channel to get the boxer on his bill.

 

Commenting on a decision of his boxer to defend his title on Jumos Boxing Promotion against Malik Jabir, Hamilton said Narh has a one-year contract to complete with him therefore "anyone interested in managing the boxer must buy the contract from him through the laid down procedures ".

 

"Without this process Narh is duty bound to live by the terms of the contract because any attempt to breach it would end at the courts to get the boxer back on track". Hamilton stated. "Until Narh's contract is bought through the appropriate legal procedure. I will use all legal means to place an injunction on any fight organised for

Narh without my concern", he stressed.

 

He said the action of Narh and Jumos Promotion is an act of indiscipline and they must be made to face the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) for contravening the rules and regulations of the GBA.

 

Hamilton said the allegations of cheating, maltreatments, lack of respect and mismanagement levelled against him by the boxer "are lies" adding that he has given Narh the best management ever since he took him on.

 

He said under his management Narh received the best treatment and is among the few Ghanaian boxers who have reaped good financial benefits. "I wonder why Narh would go and spread such lies about me."

 

It would be recalled that Narh was scheduled to defend his National Super Featherweight title against Malik Jabir but the fight could not come on following a protest from Prince and Baseline Promotion arguing that they have the sole right to stage the fight.

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Boxing competition for Black Bombers

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 05 February 2003 - The Ghana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) in conjunction with the Greater Accra Amateur Boxing Association would organise an amateur boxing competition between the Black Bombers and a select team Greater Accra on Friday at the Accra Sports Stadium.

           

A statement signed by R.O. Lamptey, Secretary General of GABA said the competition forms part of the national team's preparation forwards the zone three championship to be held in Niamey, Niger from Monday 10 to 15 February.

 

He said the competition in Niamey would be used as a qualifier for the African Championship to be held in Yaounde in May this year. Lamptey said weigh in and medical examination would be held in the morning of the competition day.

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Commonwealth release 2003 ratings

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 05 February 2003 - The Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) has released the 2003 ratings of boxers in fourteen boxing categories.

 

In all 16 Ghanaian boxers appeared in ten categories with Benjamin "Wonder" Tackie, James Armah and Alex Ali Baba being among the first three contenders in the Light welterweight, Lightweight and Flyweight divisions.

 

Ablorh Sowah and Joseph Agbeko are each rated fourth in the Super Bantamweight and Bantamweight divisions respectively. Kofi Jantuah currently based in the USA is rated fifth in the Light Middleweight division, while Malik Jabir and Steve Dotse are both rated eighth in the Super Bantamweight and Bantamweight divisions respectively with Anyetei Laryea also being rated 13th in the Bantamweight.

 

Emmanuel Clottey is ranked 8th in the Light Welterweight division and James Toney is ranked 11th in the Middleweight with Joshua Okine and Ossie Duran placing 12th and 14th in the Welterweight division.

           

Raymond Narh and Alfred Kotey ranked 14th and 15th in the Super Featherweight division while Moubi Armstrong is rated 12th in the Featherweight category. However, no Ghanaian boxer was rated in the Heavyweight, Cruiserweight, light Heavyweight, and Super Middleweight.

 

In the fourteen categories, nine of the titles are held by British nationals while the Steve Molitor, a Canadian, holds the Bantamweight title with cruiserweight, Lightweight, Feartherweight and Super Bantamweight titles being vacant.

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Coaches, referees and administrators undergo training

 

Wa (Western Region) 05 February 2003 - The Ghana Football Association (GFA) as part of its five-year development plan for soccer, is organising a training programme for about 150 people in Wa in the Upper West Region.

 

Under the programme, 50 sports administrators, 50 coaches and 50 referees are being taught rudimentary laws on the game. Addressing them, Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister commended the GFA for initiating such a plan as it would go a long way to salvage the image of Ghana soccer which was experiencing dwindling fortunes.

 

He appealed to all past footballers and administrators to collaborate effectively with the current crop of players and officials to bring back the past glories of the country that paddled them to win African Cup of Nations four times.

 

He called on the GFA to evolve systematic policies that would ensure that sporting activities were decentralised and to take appropriate steps to reduce over reliance on government for funding sports programmes.

 

He said the Upper West Regional Co-ordinating Council had provided a borehole and dressing chambers at the Wa Sports Stadium. He said plans were also far advanced to construct an inner perimeter at the Wa Sports Stadium and called on the people to show patriotism by guiding against lawlessness.

 

In a speech read for him, Ben Kwofie, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association said they would do everything possible to bring back the smiles on the faces of Ghanaians and called for co-operation of all.

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