Richard Commey
The country’s boxing governing body, Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), has slapped Richard Commey, former IBF Lightweight champion, with a two-year ban.
Commey will not fight or be seen at any GBA sanctioned boxing-related activity for the next two years.
The development follows a disciplinary action by GBA on some slanderous comments the boxer directed at the body’s officials, made on Kpanlogo Mashi TV on Facebook recently.
A portion of the letter dated April 9, 2021, stated “…notwithstanding the seriousness of your misconduct, the GBA took cognizance amongst others your admission of guilt, the apology you rendered (albeit half-hearted and not contrite) as well as the intervention of the Ga Mantse Nii Tackie Teiko in mitigation of your sentence.
“It is hoped that the haughty and arrogant posture that you have adopted towards fellow members of the fraternity in recent times will cease in the aftermath of this decision. Be advised accordingly.”
Interestingly, the sanction comes few days after the United Nations Association of Ghana Commission for Women and Children Affairs (UNACWCA) named Commey as its Goodwill Ambassador.
Commey remarked, “Thanks be to God I get sponsorships from Snap who make supplements. I also got some from the UK. But no company from Ghana ever sponsors me. But when you win, they ask you to go see this and that person, when none of them supported me to go and fight,” he said.
“Excuse me to say this but the Ghana Boxing Authority must do their work. If they can’t they should get away. Secondly, they are adults and when we make certain comments people say we are insulting.
“However, if they deserve insults they must be insulted because we are the ones who fight and toil in the ring. When I was going to fight there was no good luck message, yet when I won, the congratulatory letter from the GBA was circulating on Whatsapp platforms but not directly to me. I have hardly set my eyes on that letter. Are they trying to impress Ghanaians? If they are smoking weed or taking drugs which is affecting their brains they better stop.”
And per the ban, Commey’s bouts will have to be staged outside the jurisdiction of Ghana for the period.
The boxer has however apologized stating, “It has come to my attention that in a recent interview I may have caused offence to the GBA and others in the boxing fraternity, by using certain words which I now realize are inappropriate.
“I wish to apologize to the GBA and to all concerned. I realize my position as a role model to many and have to be mindful of my actions. In future, I will refrain from airing certain views in public and will air them diplomatically and appropriately. There are certain things I am unhappy with and on my return to Ghana along with my team we will deal with them in the correct way.”
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum