Ghana’s most decorated boxing warrior, Azumah Nelson, has stepped into the ring once more, this time teaming up with revered administrator, Samir Captan, to spearhead the boldest reform mission in the sport.

Celebrated promoter, Mr Captain, makes a sensational return to the helm as chairman of a newly formed Boxing Normalisation Committee with the legendary three-time world champion as Special Technical Advisor to the formidable eight-member team of professionals of diverse backgrounds. 

Last Friday, the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, led a high-level meeting with the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, and some members of the incoming committee, including the chairman and Azumah.

In a post on social media, the minister set the tone for what lies ahead for the sport.  

“This normalisation process is about restoring trust, enforcing safety standards, and elevating boxing to modern global benchmarks. We owe it to the young athletes who put their lives on the line to chase a dream. We owe it to the sport that has long defined our national identity. Let’s get it right,” he said.

Boxing at a crossroads

The creation of the Normalisation Committee could not be more critical as the sport is at a crossroads. Within the space of months, Ghana’s boxing fraternity has been shaken to its core by tragedy. First, Nigerian fighter, Gabriel Oluwaseun Olarenwaju, collapsed and died after a bout at the Bukom Arena in March.

The urgency of reforms was underlined earlier this month when local crowd favourite, Ernest “Bahubali” Akushey, passed away less than two weeks after suffering a brutal stoppage defeat to Jacob Dickson in the same venue.

The NSA reacted by slapping a blanket ban on boxing activities across the country, a move that stunned fans and left livelihoods hanging in the balance.

It is against this grim backdrop that the government has acted decisively. Following recommendations from a seven-member Committee of Inquiry, the ministry and NSA turned to Mr Captan, with over five decades of experience in boxing administration, to lead the reform team, backed by a three-man Coordinating Team, to steady the ship and restore confidence in a sport long cherished as part of Ghana’s identity.

For Mr Captan, who previously chaired the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) between 2010 and 2013, and is known for his straight-talking style and organisational acumen, he is expected to lead reforms to bring stability at a turbulent time for the sport.

The presence of Azumah, lending his unmatched experience in the ring, and a diverse panel bringing fresh perspectives, gives the committee an aura of authority to undertake what could be the most ambitious reform drive in the history of Ghanaian boxing.

Five-year roadmap

The committee’s mandate is clear: to design and implement a five-year roadmap to sanitise the boxing ecosystem, restore public trust, enforce safety and medical standards, and conduct fresh elections to produce credible long-term leadership for the GBA.

Today’s inauguration ushers the committee into office and is to put measures in place for the NSA to lift its suspension on boxing activities, allowing the sport to resume under stricter governance and safety guidelines.

The new committee brings together a formidable mix of professionals whose expertise cuts across administration, law, medicine, coaching, finance and the media — all aimed at injecting fresh energy and discipline into Ghanaian boxing.

Among them are Brig Gen Ishmael Ben Quartey (Rtd), a seasoned boxing administrator; Nii Akwei Bruce Thompson, respected lawyer and Editor of the Supreme Court of Ghana Law Reports; Dr Eric Tetteh Ayertey, an internationally accredited ringside medic; Coach Ofori Asare, the long-serving trainer of the national amateur boxing team; Lester Nii Armah Kwarteng, a financial consultant and boxing investor, and Nathaniel Attoh, a sports journalist and seasoned ring announcer.

Backing the main team is a Coordinating Team led by Patrick Johnson, the GBA’s substantive General Secretary, who also serves as Secretary to the Normalisation Committee. He is supported by Gideon Oyiadzo, a Projects and Branding consultant and General Manager of Cabic Promotions, who doubles as Spokesperson and Coordinator, alongside Prince Azanu, the NSA’s Anti-Doping Officer.