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Coach Asare
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Coach Asare to be recalled to GABF — Lamptey

The acting President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation(GABF), George Lamptey, has told the Graphic Sports he would recall the nation’s only three-star amateur coach Ofori Asare into the federation. Asare, 56, a veteran amateur and professional boxing trainer, was sidelined by the late Gideon Quartey after a frosty relationship between the two.

With his demise, the first vice-president of the federation in an exclusive interview with the Graphic Sports in Accra last Monday noted that the best coach in the country could no longer be sidelined.

 “This is the only coach we have in Ghana with the requisite expertise and apt professional knowledge about amateur boxing and it is about time we invited him back to head the coaches domain,’ he stated.

According to him the death of the president, whose burial is scheduled for May 13, was a big blow to the federation vis a vis his enormous contribution to amateur boxing.

He stated that two amateur boxing events– one on May 11 at Labadi, the birth place of the late Quartey, and Prisons Canteen on May 12– will be held in his honour.

Mr Lamptey, a veteran sports administrator, told this paper the nation had amateur boxers in all weight divisions, including the juvenile and senior categories of amateur boxing.

He stressed that the lack of funds to provide for stipends to boxers, acquire training equipment and procure logistics for the discipline is a major blight hindering the game in the country.

Nonetheless, the former boxer stated that referees and judges would undergo refresher courses under his tenure and added that the country was saddled with only one amateur referee and judge who have only one star in the person of Edwin Amankwa.

He underscored the need for amateur boxers to gain exposure outside the country and provided with proper and the right training.

Mr Lamptey appealed to corporate bodies to help sponsor activities of the discipline while sending an SOS to the state to act to salvage the dwindling fortunes of the sport.

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