Almost four years ago, Mr Abraham Kotei Neequaye was hailed by boxing stakeholders after occupying the hot seat of president of the Ghana Boxing Association (GBA).

He came in as second vice president of the association, serving under the Peter Zwenne’s administration.

Neequaye’s rise was historic, coming as the second democratically elected president to follow the footsteps of his former boss and mentor, Lawyer Zwennes.

He was greeted in many quarters like boxers, coaches, managers, promoters and others as he was seen as someone coming from the grassroots.

With his close association with this group of boxing fanatics, it was presumed Neequaye knows and understands the challenges facing the sport more than anybody.

For this reason, expectation was very high.

Almost four years down the line, Mr Neequaye has become a persona non grata among the same group of people whose shoulders he rose to stardom.

The groupings seem tired of their own man and are bent on bringing him down.

Sources within his executive board have hinted of serious cracks within the body, accusing him of being a dictator and many others, although those on his side have denied these claims and described the accusers as hypocrites.

However, the extent to which the GBA troubles have escalated leaves much to be desired as state institutions such as the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR) and the National Sports Authority (NSA) enter the fray as possible opponents.

At a press conference to explain his decision to call it quit, Mr Neequaye did not spare the two agencies for the roles they played in his troubles and intended actions against them.

Clearly, Neequaye is unhappy with the involvement of the MoSR and NSA in the GBA’s matters, stretching to the postponement of the association’s planned elective congress.

He has shown this by throwing personal tantrums at the heads of the institutions – Mr Kofi Adams, the sector minister, and Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, the NSA boss.

He warned the latter for instance to stay away from the GBA issues because it remains an autonomous body.

It is a genuine call the MoSR and NSA must heed to and take a back seat and allow boxing people to solve their own problem.

This dare not happen in football because when it does, issues of government interference would come up and soon would land on the corridors of FIFA, a body that prohibits the act.

Neequaye’s call in that regard was very well placed and was important the sports ministry and NSA stay away because they have the men to sort themselves out.

The GBA is just like other federations administering athletics, football, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis and many others. They derive their powers from international federations that holds them responsible for their actions and inactions.

Any attempt by the two agencies in their affairs would clearly be considered as interference from the government, a situation that can attract an outright ban if established.

The open vow to ‘fight’ Mr Kofi Adams and Nii Lante Vanderpuye, a former minister of state was, however, unfortunate from the embattled former GBA President.

The ‘fight’, therefore, to restores or maintains the GBA’s autonomy would rest on the shoulders of the Second Vice President, Roger Barnor.

Barnor will steer the ship in the absence of the first vice president, Mr Rabbon Dodoo, who resigned along the way.

In his first interview, he has stated that he has come to do what he is expected to do.

Barnor has inherited a troubled GBA that has seen members gone ‘haywire’, firing all kinds of missiles.

What he needs to do now is to get all the feuding parties to ceasefire, resolve their differences and fully take the administration of the association and set up a roadmap for its elective congress.

Neequaye may have gotten a few things wrong in his tumultuous journey as GBA president but his call that “The Ghana Boxing Authority and its stakeholders have to fight for their rights,” is one that every stakeholder must support with every sinew.

 By Andrew Nortey