In a resolve to build clearer pathway for athletes, the President of the Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF), Mr Frederick Lartey Otu, has indicated the new executive’s commitment to strengthen collaboration with major stakeholders in the development and promotion of the sport.

According to him, it would be difficult to achieve its set targets set for the new elected term without a good working relations with such collaborators.

Mr Otu said this when he addressed participants at the closing ceremony of the 16^th edition of the Korean Ambassador’s Cup Taekwondo Championship held last Saturday at the Borteyman Sports Complex.

The event saw the Greater Accra Region’s dominance as they amassed a total of 26 medals consisting of 10 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals.

The Upper East Region followed in second position with a gold, silver and six bronze medals and Western Region in third after annexing a gold and silver medals.

According to him, the new executive will continue to strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR), National Sports Authority (NSA), Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), the Korean Embassy in Accra, corporate organisations as well as educational institutions and Regional Associations.

“Our recent engagements with key stakeholders have reinforced our belief that there is a willingness to support Ghana Taekwondo when we present clear programmes, demonstrate accountability and work collaboratively,” he stated.

Consequently, he assured of the executive board’s commitment to good governance, transparency, accountability, teamwork and respect for all stakeholders.

“We’ll listen to our regions, clubs, coaches, athletes, officials and members of the Taekwondo family. We’ll continue to improve our administrative systems, documentation, communication, financial planning and programme coordination,” he added.

Mr Otu noted that the board was committed to building a sustainable Taekwondo development system that produces athletes, coaches, referees and administrators capable of representing Ghana with pride.

He said starting this month, the GTF will roll out its first major initiative – the Regional Taekwondo Awareness Campaign, to be launched in the Ashanti Region.

The campaign is designed to take Taekwondo directly to the schools and communities, particularly areas where sporting opportunities are limited.

“Our immediate target is to begin with at least five deprived regions — Northern Region, Upper West Region, Bono Region, Central Region and Ashanti Region — and identify young people with the potential to become future Taekwondo athletes,” he emphasised.

Mr Otu expressed gratitude to the Korean embassy for its continuous support for the championship which he said had given Ghanaian athletes the opportunity to compete, gain valuable experience, test themselves against quality opposition and develop the confidence necessary to progress to higher levels of competition.

At the end of the competition, the embassy presented a number of Taekwondo attires to the GTF to boost the sport’s promotion in Ghana.

By Andrew Nortey

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In the midst of the storm that rocked professional boxing organisation almost a year ago, a decision was taken which is unprecedented in the annals of the sport in Ghana.

Following the death of a Nigerian boxer in a Ghanaian ring, the modus operandi of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) was questioned in various quarters.

Just when the storm appeared to have settled, another disaster struck. Ernest Akushey ‘Baubali’, a famous local boxer was lost to the icy hands of death, 10 clear days after a bout. It was such an unfortunate incident. May he keep resting in peace.

Even before the cause of death comes out, the GBA administration was put on the chopping board, and became a gum in the mouth of all. Almost everyone ‘chewed’ some.

Perhaps, considering the weight and ignominy of the incident, the mighty and powerful had to step in, taking major decisions to ensure some sanity in the sport.

Among the popular decisions arising out of this intervention was the call for sweeping reforms that led to the establishment of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) which has now assumed the role of the GBA because of the failure to organize elections to handover to an elected body because of the non-availability of funds.

The second was the last minute cancelation of a promotion to be staged by former boxer, Michael Nii Ayitey Okai, aka Ayittey Powers.

There appears to be some calm over the first decision as boxing stakeholders wait patiently, hoping that the IMC does the needful in no time.

But the latter, regarding the cancelation of the bout has continued, becoming a tango between the former boxer-now-turned promoter and the Director General of the National Sports Authority, Mr Yaw Ampofo Ankrah (YAA).

The Accra Regional Police Command this week arrested the veteran boxer, after he has reported himself at the station, over an alleged threat of death made against Mr. Ankrah after a video of him talking about the issue went viral.

A police statement said ‘Dada Powers’ was arrested in connection with an alleged threat made against the NSA boss.

Sadly, the circumstances under which the decision to cancel the promotion was made and the absence of a precedent to follow, have made a solution difficult to come by, a year after.

One remembers the back and forth about the decision as to whether the fight would be staged or not.

With assurances that the fight would go on, Powers claimed to have paid so much to boxers in terms of purses and other organizational expenditures, only for the NSA boss to drop the ill-fated announcement cancelling the promotion.

Since then, Dada Powers has seen the decision as a unilateral one from the NSA boss and has constantly blamed YAA for his present predicament. What is, however not clear is the form of compensation Powers is asking for.

As of now, one is at a loss whether he is seeking a refund of his expenditure or awaiting clearance to stage the fight.

If it were to be the latter, there would be no problem with that since boxing promotion has return in full force with the IMC sanctioning close or over 10 promotions.

This problem should not have arisen in the first place if that decision had been carefully thought through. If that was done, it would have found a way out of the mess it created for both parties.

Clearly, Powers is seeking for a sort of compensation which he has failed to communicate well. Despite the guidance from well-meaning people, he decides to sometimes use some ‘ring’ tactics to express his concerns.

If Powers is not aware, he must be advised that there are laws that governs every transaction or activity so no matter how legitimate his concerns may be, he is bound by the same laws to demand for justice in the right way.

Now in the custody of the police and latest reports suggesting the matter has ended up in court, the focus now shifts from the substantive matter to his behaviour that puts him in a bad light for a certain class of people.

Instead of seeing Yaw as an ‘enemy of progress,’ he must show an interest in working closely with him and others to find an amicable solution.

Maybe by extension, the decision to cancel that bout should be subjected to a probe – to know how it came about, it merits and demerits and whether it was in the best interest for Ghana boxing.

By Andrew Nortey

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