Sports
Make health of athletes a priority …GBF boss
President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation (GABF) Mr. George Lamptey has called for better medical conditions and health facilities for national athletes.
He said the health and safety of athletes must become a top priority for all stakeholders, urging the authorities to put in place the right infrastructure to ensure the health and safety of national athletes becomes central.
He praised the government and its affiliated agencies for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that ‘the early closure of the country’s borders and the institution of the various safety protocols i.e. lockdown, social distancing, washing of hands with soap, usage of sanitizers, wearing of nose masks among others.
Speaking on the impact of the pandemic on the sport, Mr Lamptey said the virus has affected amateur boxing badly, thwarting their training schedule ahead of a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualifier in Paris, France.
“After the African qualifier in Senegal, we began feverish preparations for the final qualifier in France when the virus came in, shattering all sporting activities including our own.”
“I believe we have been lucky to not have any of our athletes testing positive for the virus. Even if they get infected, we expect that special health facilities must be allocated to us to seek healthcare.”
He said that as a nation, the health and safety of sports athletes must be a priority because sports medicine the world over has become very crucial and its important Ghana follows that trend.
On the impact, he said “The exciting Bukom Fist of Fury Amateur Boxing League has been halted and has greatly affected our boxers.”
Despite the harrowing challenges, Mr Lamptey remained optimistic about a positive showing from his team in Tokyo if the qualified boxers were given the right exposure to gain experience.
He also appealed for the immediate settlement of bonuses owed the team.
So far, young prodigy, Samuel Takyi and Suleiman Tetteh, the skipper of the Black Bombers have qualified for the Tokyo Games which has been shifted to 2021 with an opportunity for other boxers to join with the final qualifiers in France.
Source: Ghanaian Times
Officials from the Ghana mission in the United Arab Emirates have paid a morale-boosting visit to the camp of the Black Queens.
The delegation, made up of Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto, Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai and Head of Transport Anas Shaibu, visited the team to assure them of the government’s support and commitment to their safety and welfare.
During the visit, the officials interacted with the team and offered words of encouragement, urging the team to remain focused on the tournament despite concerns surrounding unrest in parts of the UAE.
Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto emphasised that the Ghanaian government, through its diplomatic mission, is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to ensuring the team’s safety throughout their stay.
“We want the team to stay calm and focus on the competition. The government and the embassy are doing everything possible to ensure your safety and well-being.” he said.
Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai also reiterated the mission’s readiness to provide any assistance required by the team during the tournament.
Leadership of the team expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and motivating.
With the backing of Ghana’s diplomatic officials in the UAE, the Black Queens remain determined to represent the country proudly and deliver strong performances in the Pink Ladies Cup.
The Black Queens have arrived in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the upcoming Pink Ladies Cup in Dubai. The team touched down at the Dubai International Airport via Emirates Air on Wednesday morning and were warmly received by the competition’s organising officials.
The squad will be based at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, where they will begin their final preparations for the tournament. Organised as part of the international women’s football calendar, the Pink Ladies Cup is expected to feature four national sides using the competition to assess their squads and fine-tune strategies for upcoming tournaments.
Ghana will open their campaign today with a clash against Hong Kong, while Russia and Tanzania face off in the other opening match.
The Black Queens are then scheduled to return to action on March 3, when they take on Russia in a match expected to test them against a physically strong opponent.
The final round of games will be played on March 6, with Ghana closing their campaign against Tanzania at 9:00 pm.
With three matches in eight days, the tournament promises to be a crucial phase in Ghana’s preparation, as the Black Queens aim to return to continental action sharper, stronger, and more competitive.
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