Accra, Sept. 13, GNA - The Chief Executive Officer of the National Sports Council, Prince Ernest Oduro-Mensah has cautioned that any sporting Association that fails to decentralise its activities by next year would not receive any positive response for their activities. He has therefore advised the associations to ensure that they put up measures to have branches in the various regions to ensure the development and unearthing of sporting talents at the grassroots level. Prince Oduro-Mensah said this in Accra on Thursday at the inauguration of a 12-member committee of the Kick-Boxing Association under the chairmanship of Lt. Col. John E. Sharpe, one time chairman of amateur boxing.

Kick-boxing is a combination of boxing and entertainment with martial arts like Taekwondo, Karate and Kung fu as its main attributes. It has similar rules as boxing. Prince Oduro-Mensah also advised the about 28 associations under the Council to ensure that they hold regular congress to deliberate and discuss pertinent issues concerning their stewardship to enable them make fruitful contributions of developing their various sporting disciplines.

The Chief Executive Officer commended the members of the Kick-boxing Association for their selfless efforts towards the establishment of the sport in the country and advised them to collaborate and develop strategies to make the sport a big venture and attractive to rope in more adherents.

Prince Oduro-Mensah advised the members to use the opportunity to harness and unearth the talents of the youth by making use of their astuteness in other fields to help develop the sport and lay a foundation for posterity.

Members of the Association took turns to explain the various aspects of the sport and said exhibition bouts have been conducted to show-case its various aspects to the public. Lt. Col. Sharpe said the sport was an evolving one and very entertaining that is guided by rules and regulations necessary to take care of the youthful exuberance of people and occupying their free and leisure times.

Nana Atakora Bonsra, Public Relations Officer of the Association said a number of gyms have been put in place to encourage the participation of the youth and especially people with potentials and experience in martial arts. Other executive members include Mr Ahmed M. Hassan, Vice Chairman, Dr Chris Kpodo, Development Advisor and Albert Papa Asante, Secretary General. 13 Sept. 07