Sports News of Friday, 28 September 2012

Source: radioxyzonline

Delta Airline discriminates against Azumah

Ghana boxing legend Azumah Nelson suffered an embarrassing humiliation at the Kotoka International Airport on Thursday night when he was reprehensibly refused entry to board a Delta Airline flight to the United States.

The iconic Ghanaian figure was travelling to the States to attend an important gathering of ex- WBC Super featherweight greats for a big charity event scheduled for Saturday September 29 in Las Vegas.

Azumah is reported to have been involved in a minor accident enroute to the airport due to the heavy downpour but managed to arrive at the airport for check-in at 8:20pm.

But the duty manager at the airlines, Vicky Von Williams who insisted the legend and his spokesperson were ten minutes late, prevented them from boarding the flight claiming their time for check-in had passed.

Eyewitnesses say Azumah and his spokesperson were shabbily treated by madam Williams but she shockingly allowed some expatriates who had arrived much later to check-in and boarded the same flight which was due for fly at 10:10pm.

The discriminating posture from the duty manager is reported to have angered some personnel at the airport who were obviously surprised at the way the Ghanaian legend was being treated.

Questions are being asked if airlines do not have graced periods for check-in and whether there are no provisions for emergency cases.

The latest incident has re-ignited talks of the poor business-customer relation that has rocked some of the airline companies operating in the country.

Many of such companies that operate in the Aviation industry have been accused for taking passengers for a ‘ride ‘and making the business environment hostile and the ‘undignified’ manner in which one of the country’s finest was treated is just one of such episodes that occur on daily basis.

The three-time world champion is expected to join other boxing greats including Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis, Jeff Fenech, Larry Holmes, Ken Norton, Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya and George Foreman for the ground-breaking fund-raising event in Las Vegas on Saturday.

WBC and world renowned Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot are organizing this legendary night at the prestigious opulent Bellagio Hotel. This spectacular, star-studded event is aimed to celebrate and support the inauguration of the WBC Pension Fund.

This one-time event will unite 12 of the greatest boxing legends, not to fight in the ring, but to battle for the needs of their constituents.

Twelve elegant and highly coveted unique watches, each of which commemorates the world’s 12 greatest boxers to grace the ring will be auctioned by Bonhams for WBC Pension Fund that evening.

The 12 winning bidders will receive their watch from the fighter himself on a staged ring set surrounded by more than 300 guests. All proceeds from the sale of each watch will support WBC’s charitable initiative, which includes a retired boxer’s pension and emergency fund in more than 40 countries around the world.