Gemini Life Insurance insures boxers
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 January 2002 - The delicate issue of the captaincy of the Black Stars was finally resolved on Friday when Emmanuel Osei Kuffour was entrusted with the mantle of leading the team to the Nations Cup in Mali.
The decision was reached by the Stars’ technical team in consultation with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) prior to the team’s meeting with President J.A. Kufuor at his residence on Friday.
According to a GFA source, the issue of the Stars’ captaincy resurfaced when the team was scheduled to meet with the President. It, therefore became imperative for the authorities to choose a leader there and then to be the spokesman for the Stars during the interaction with the President.
After consultation among the team’s officials, the lot fell on Emmanuel Kuffour. Kuffour possibly got the nod particularly due to the fact that he had played the role of spokesman for the team in recent times.
This is in addition to the fact that the intelligent utility player captained the Black Stars during the two crucial World Cup qualifiers against the Super Eagles of Nigeria last year. The Black Stars captaincy void was created when head coach Fred Osam-Duodu excluded former skipper C.K. Akunnor from his provisional squad.
This compelled the FA to prevail upon deputy skipper, Samuel Osei Kuffour, to assume full responsibilities as the new Stars captain. However, series of talks with the Bayern Munich defender on the issue fell on the rocks as the player turned down the offer.
Just like the Biblical tale of a rejected stone becoming the cornerstone, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour was nearly dropped from the Stars final team to Mali but for Stephen Appiah’s muscle injury.
Meanwhile, a contingent of 30 players and officials of the Black Stars emplaned to Mali on Friday to begin their quest for a fifth Cup of Nations title.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 14 January 2002 - Members of the Black Stars, Ghana's squad to the CAN 2002 in Mali on Friday called on President John Kufuor at his residence before departing for Mali.
President Kufuor urged them to sacrifice to uplift the pride and image of the nation. He said as individual players of their various clubs both at home and abroad their performance necessitated their selection to the team and should therefore put up the same performance to bring laurels to the country.
President Kufuor said discipline was crucial to their performance at the tournament, adding, "without discipline among yourselves and with the management team you should count yourself out".
He urged them to work as a team and eschew individualism and to play with the collective wisdom of a team because Mali would be used as a test of re-building the Black Stars.
Mr Edward Osei-Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports gave the assurance that the team would make Ghana proud to erase doubts being expressed by sports fans.
Mr Ben Kuofie, GFA Chairman said the team would use Mali as a platform to participate in the 2004 Olympics Games and the 2006 World Cup. He said they would not promise the nation to win the cup at stake but they would ensure a good performance.
Mr Emmanuel Osei Kufuor, Captain of the team, said they would play their hearts out to bring the smiles back to the faces of Ghanaians.
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Kumasi (Ashanti) 14 January 2002 - The National Division One Middle League which will qualify two clubs to the Premier division began in full earnest this weekend with hopefuls, AC Olympiakos being held to a pulsating 4-4 draw at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.
They were two goals apiece before the break and returned to similar margins for the second half, giving each side a point in the six-team tournament. Yeji Stars, the underdogs proved that they were no pushovers, stretched Olympiakos to their limits and were coasting for victory until Ade Coker’s Olympiakos pulled an equaliser in injury time.
Olympiakos gave an indication of carrying the day taking the field by storm and missed narrowly in the third minute when Richard Osei after disposing of Yeji Stars defence including goalkeeper Akwasi Jomo, shot wide over a gaping net.
Yeji Stars countered immediately and had Olympiakos back-peddling. Ibrahim Osumanu sent Kassim Fuseini on with a perfect cross to the left and after disposing of the defence shot into the right hand corner for the opener in the sixth minute.
Olympiakos who were slightly ahead of their opponents attacked constantly after this goal and in the 23rd minute, Richard Osei again had the defence of Yeji Stars under his mercy and again with a yawning net, shot over the bar.
But they were not to be denied the equalizer as Michael Anan atoned for the mistakes of his colleague and equalized in the 25th minute and put his team ahead in the 29th minute with a header from a corner kick.
Yeji Stars immediately pulled out goalkeeper Akwasi Jomo for Isaac Tandoh and equalized through Anass Nasiru in the 33rd minute in a goalmouth action. Olympiakos restored their lead in the 59th minute through Kennedy Atta Kofi who capitalized on the inability of goalkeeper Tandoh to grab a high ball to push the ball into the net.
Yeji Stars pulled out Maxwell Appiah for Eric Kobea a minute later and equalized through Kassim Alhassan with a classic long rang shot. This goal also forced Olympiakos to change goalkeeper Fenny Raymond for Samuel Adjetey.
But this did not prevent Yeji Stars from scoring their fourth goal in the 60th minute through Sule Belo and held on to it until the last minute of added time when Jonathan Anan equalized for Olympiakos with a header.
In the other matches, Sunyani based B.A. United beat Koforidua Power FC by a lone goal while Prestea Mine Stars defeated Mpohor Iron Fighters also by a lone goal.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 14 January 2002 - Ghana is to take part in a traditional wrestling competition involving all West African countries to be held in Niger from March seven to 10 march this year.
Mr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports council who disclosed this to the GNA Sports in Accra on Friday said as part of the preparation towards the competition, the Council is going to organize two wrestling events in Nima and Winneba to select representatives for the country.
He said the event are taking place in Nima and Winneba because the game is mostly practiced in the northern part of the country and since Nima residents are mostly northerners it would not be difficult to find suitable candidates while Winneba already had a traditional wrestling competition in place.
Mr Owusu-Ansah said people who excelled in these two events would be brought to Accra for a final selection of those who would represent the country in the West African competition. He said an association is going to be formed latter to over-see effective development and promotion of the sport throughout the country.
He said Ghana is taking part in the competition for the first time in the spirit of solidarity with pioneer countries like Nigeria and Niger saying Ghana's participation in the competition is as a result of a recent meeting of ECOWAS ministers of Youth and Sports in Ouagadougou where they were keen in developing and promoting the sport to its highest level.
Mr Owusu-Ansah said traditional African games existed before the colonialist came to Africa and it was important to preserve them adding, "is dangerous to kill these traditional games which are part and parcel of the life of the African."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 14 January 2002 - The Gemini Life Insurance Company Limited, (GLICO), on Friday presented an insurance sponsorship package worth 840 million cedis to the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA).
Announcing the package to the boxing fraternity at the Accra Sports Stadium, Mr Eric Andane, a representative of GLICO said an insurance cover of ˘100 million would be available for any world titled bout, 50 million cedis for a commonwealth fight, ˘20 million for an African title bout and ˘10 million for a national championship.
The package, he said, is aimed at giving insurance cover to boxers and enticing them to insure themselves against ring accidents and other mishaps. The policy covers 64 boxers.
The GLICO representative said in the case of an accidental death, a boxer who is registered under GLICO would be given 100 percent of the sum insured while a permanent or total disability on the part of a registered boxer would attract 100 percent of the sum assured.
Other injuries, which would attract 100 of the sum insured include total loss by physical severance of at least two limbs, total and permanent loss of sight in both eyes, and total loss by physical severance of one limb.
Fifty percent of the sum assured would be paid for total loss by physical severance of one limb and a total and permanent loss of sight in one eye. Mr Andane, however, said much depends on the contribution a boxer makes with the company, adding that "negotiations are always open for increment."
Mr Edward Osei Kwaku, the minister of Youth and Sports said in his keynote address, which was read for him that the ministry was aware of the poor conditions of most boxers, especially when they retire and therefore see the company's package as timely.
He urged the GBA to work much harder since there is more room for improvement.
Mr Frank Apeagyei, chairman of the occasion, said boxers are exposed to risk whenever they enter the ring, hence the need to introduce them to insurance cover for protection.
He advised the promoters and managers of boxers to take advantage of the package and get their wards registered.
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