Boxing promoter demands anti-doping body in Ghana
Boxing promoter and manager, Alex Ntiamoah Boakye, has called for a functional anti-doping body in Ghana to consistently check the blood and urine samples of national athletes.
He also advocated that such an body, when set up in the country, will serve as an education centre to sensitise Ghanaian athletes to doping rules, violations and the consequences.
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Reacting to the suspension by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) of Ghanaian light-heavyweight boxer, Shakul Samed for failing a doping test at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham,Mr Boakye said the decision to throw the boxer out of the competition looked hasty.
“I don’t know the rules of this Commonwealth Games but I believe they should have given him the benefit of doubt and ran further investigations and if proven to have doped, he should be stripped of all his benefits,” he told the Daily Graphic via telephone yesterday.
“In future,we should get an anti-doping agency in Ghana to be in charge of all the national teams to check them before every international competition where anti-doping tests are administered.”
Samed, one of the most experienced members of the Black Bombers team and medal prospect, has been sent home from the Games Village in line with the regulations of the competition.
Medal potential
Notwithstanding the setback to the Black Bombers’ campaign in Birmingham, Mr Boakye believes that boxing still holds the best potential to win the most medals, including a gold for Ghana.
“I believe strongly that we can bring gold, and by God’s grace, a gold medal will surely come home with Team Ghana,” he stated.
According to the CGF Anti-Doping and Medical Commission, Samed was found to have taken a banned substance, Furosemide, ahead of his Round of 32 contest with Luc Jean Rosalba of Mauritius.
As a result, he failed to make an appearance at the mandatory weigh-in for the first round fight.
A CGF Anti-Doping and Medical Commission confirmed that the sample of the boxer violated anti-doping rules for the 2022 Commonwealth Games after his ‘A sample’ was found to contain a prohibited substance (diuretic and masking agent–Furosemide).