There appear to be cracks in the relationship between the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) after the announcement of the suspension of boxing in the country.
The acting president of the GBA, Roger Barnor, revealed the NSA has officially notified his outfit of the decision it had taken on boxing in Ghana for the foreseeable future.
Following the demise of boxer Ernest Akushey, aka ‘Bahubali’, in the early hours of Tuesday, September 23, the NSA released a communique on Friday, September 26, indicating the decision to suspend boxing activities and its reasons.
Responding to the surprising directive from the NSA, Roger Barnor and boxing promoter Michael Ayite Okine, popularly referred to as Ayitey Powers, expressed deep disappointment in the NSA and its director general, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.
With the GBA acting boss, the NSA has not shown respect to his office by officially notifying his outfit of its move to suspend all boxing activities.
Speaking on Max FM’s Sports Pack, both Mr Barnor and Ayitey Powers mutually argued that if Bahubali, who died 11 days after a boxing bout, is proven to have succumbed to boxing injuries, then it is unjust on the part of the NSA to take its new stance.
Ayitey Powers feels misled by the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams, and Mr Ampofo Ankrah, especially after he visited their offices enquiring about the truth in the suspension reports before it was officially confirmed.
“The minister denied knowledge of the news and asked me to go see Yaw. He [Yaw] also denied the reports, so I don’t understand why they are now doing this to me,” an emotional Ayitey Powers shared with Nana Darkwa Gyasi.
