Only Licensed Trainers Should Handle Our Boxers - Panelists

Accra,(Greater Accra Region) 16 Oct. Panelists at a boxing seminar in Accra today called on the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) to ensure that only qualified and licenced boxing trainers are allowed to handle Ghanaian boxers. They were of the view that even though the rules and regulations governing the sport do not allow this, " a lot of Ghanaian boxing trainers feel that once they have been boxers before they qualify automatically to be trainers". Mr. Armstrong Agbana, a former national boxing coach, Mr. Ramos Acquaye, a trainer and Alhaji K. Showomo, chairman of the Promotions Committee of the GBA were giving their views on "the rules and regulations in relation to the trainer and boxers" at a day's seminar organised by GBA. They said society is dynamic and so are the rules hence the need for special training courses to be organised for the trainers to enable them to be abreast with changes in the rules. Mr. Agbana urged the boxers to do away with all social vices which will affect their performance. He called on all boxers to adopt strategies that will help them avoid hefty punches likely to affect their health even after their carrer. Opening it, Colonel George Brock, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council urged the GBA to organise more of such seminars that will benefit both boxers and trainers. Kofi Jantuah, a former national welterweight champion called on the authorities to set up a committee to look into boxers' problems. Jantuah fights Steffan Scriggis of Australia for the vacant Commonwealth welterweight title on Saturday, November one, at the Accra Sports Stadium.