The suspended duo of Solomon Otoo Lartey and Michael Paterson have formally apologized to the Ghana Boxing Authority and asking for compassion from the Peter Zwennes led administration regarding their duration of bans respectively.
Matchmaker Otoo Lartey was banned from all boxing activities for four years whilst boxing agent and local manager of boxer Frank Dodze, Paterson got a 2-year suspension for their roles in the apparent fixed fight between Dodze and Algerian, Djamel Dahou in Accra back on September 21.
The plot to have Dahou win backfired spectacularly when the Ghanaian boxer’s corner threw in the towel in round 3 of their scheduled 10-rounder even though Dodze was dominating his opponent. Ghanaian boxing officials were as a result forced to launch investigations into the controversy.
Otoo and Paterson were found guilty upon which both were handed the hefty bans.
Now Sportsinghana.com can confirm that the two have formally admitted their guilt and are asking for leniency, according to a letter dated December 17, 2013 addressed to the GBA Secretary General.
“We wish to apologise for showing negative conducts and going against the rules of the game concerning the fight between Frank Dodze of Ghana and Djamel Dahou from Algeria for the WBC Youth Interim Welterweight title,” stated the letter signed by Otoo Lartey.
The letter further pleaded: “We deeply regret all inconveniences caused by our and ask for your forgiveness.”