Few days ago, to be precise on the 17th January, 2022, the GBA issued a letter dated 14th January, 2022 withdrawing all courtesies on former IBF World champion Richard Oblitey Commey, suspending him indefinitely as a licensed boxer under GBA.
The boxing governing body also suspended Commey’s manager, Michael Amoo-Bediako Snr as well as his promotional syndicate Streetwise Management for “disrespect and misconduct by you [Michael Amoo-Bediako] and your boxer Richard Commey.
In view of this suspensions, particularly on Richard Commey, many connoisseurs of the sweet science have been asking questions concerning the eligibility of the GBA to suspend Richard Commey.
Kofie Baisie of KBOX TV therefore in an interaction with the GBA Communications Director, Mr. Mohammed Amin Lamptey enquire,
“Can you confirm if Richard Commey possesses a GBA boxer license”
Mr. Amin Lamptey explained
“Richard Commey who became a professional boxer in 2011 was a licensee till he became a world champion.
“My checks from the GBA records revealed that, yes he’s a licensee but yet to renew it since it expired for some time now”
Mr. Amin Lamptey (GBA Communications Director) took time to respond to both questions from Kofi Baise and Samuel Ofosuhene, managing chief executive of Boxing Ghana as follows;
“Interesting question….. I need not engage you on a public platform on such an issue….. however, I can tell you with certainty that we have countless individuals right from boxers, managers, promoters, ring officials… who have their licences expired and are yet to renew them, but that would not render them non-members and not be punished when they are culpable….
As members of the fraternity, GBA can only remind them to renew their licences or live to suffer the consequences when they need the GBA for any assistance…..
An expired licence of a member of an Association would not be a yardstick to determine punishment for that member who misconducted himself……
We need to respect each other as members of the boxing fraternity regardless of our background…. GBA as a mandatory body to oversee the activities of professional boxing in Ghana, has the responsibility to sanitise the system and make sure our rules and regulations are abide by all regardless of status….
Professional boxing in Ghana must be seen as a lucrative industry where all stakeholders will be ready to help create wealth for all to be shared, and not to lead the way to paint a bad image of the sport.
Boxing in Ghana needs rebranding, repositioning and re-marketing to help correct erroneous impression about boxing and not to spew out unprintable statements against its leadership with any provocation….
It is about time we fish out individuals who are not ready to abide by the GBA’s rules and regulations because of their parochial interests….
I can tell you that, in this case we have done everything humanly possible to engage people for a cordial discussion but they think verbal attack and vilification of Executive Board Members is their choice of method of addressing issues.
ON SAMUEL OFOSUHENE’S ENQUIRY
Que: Is the license onetime or yearly?
“Hi Sam, our licence is for yearly renewal for all stakeholders including boxers.
I can tell you that most members have not renewed their licences for over 3 years.
“You only see them rushing to the GBA Secretariat to renew their licences when ever they have an event coming or they are scheduled to travel and needed GBA’s introductory letter and recommendation.
Sam, until recently when the current administration took office, we had almost about 80% of members{who} have not renew their licences.
As I type now, we have almost about 90% members who have their licences renewed with more numbers been added every single day.
Sam, today I have witnessed a youngman came to pay and registered as a new boxing manager and another young lad who also came for his licence as a matchmaker after going through the process successfully.”
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION
Mr. Amin Lamptey has explained that, once a member has a licence with GBA, expired or not, they are bound to adhere to the rules and regulations and hence are punishable when they violate the rules.
With revelations from the GBA Communications concerning members having their licenses expired for a long period of times, the GBA must set an appropriate time period for members who’s license have expired to cease to be members. This will curb the situations where members run to the Authority for renewal after years of expiration of the license when they need their services.