Sports News of Tuesday, 13 August 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Future of Ghana boxers in limbo as boxing is set to be dropped at 2028 Olympic Games

Samuel Takyi won bronze for Ghana at the 2020 Olympic Games Samuel Takyi won bronze for Ghana at the 2020 Olympic Games

The future of seeing more Ghanaian boxers and other boxers across the world win medals for their countries at the Olympic Games is in limbo, as boxing may not feature at the 2028 Olympic Games to be hosted in Los Angeles, USA.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) may not be able to host the sport in 2028 if they fail to find a new international boxing body by 2025.

To be able to host boxing at the next Olympic Games, the IOC president Thomas Bach has stated that there will be a need to establish a new global boxing body.

“Because of the universality and high social inclusivity of boxing, the IOC wants it to continue to feature on the program of the Olympic Games,” the IOC said Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, this is far from certain for the Olympic Games LA 2028 because, for governance reasons, the IOC is not in a position to organize another Olympic boxing tournament. To keep boxing on the Olympic program, the IOC needs a recognized and reliable International Federation as a partner, as with all the other Olympic sports,” it continued.

Ghana failed to qualify any boxers for the 2024 Olympic Games hosted in Paris.

Boxing is the only sport to have won Ghana 4 out of its 5 medals at the Olympic Games.

Clement Quartey won Ghana’s first and only silver medal at the Olympic Games in the light welterweight division in Rome 1960.

The likes of Eddie Blay, Prince Amartey, and recently Samuel Takyi have all won bronze for the country at the Games.

Ghana also won a bronze in men’s football at the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona.


JNA/OGB