Sports - Azuma left in the cold
Ebo Quansah
However, because of the huge financial returns the profession has generated, boxing has come to be associated with intrigues and manoeuvres unknown in any other sporting discipline.
Success in boxing has come to depend so much on how many strings a boxer's manager or promoter can pull; the actual ability seems relegated.
The story of Azuma Nelson, Ghana's African and Commonwealth featherweight champion, until recently leading contender to the World title left vacant by the untimely death of Salvador Sanchez of Mexico gives credence to the "whom you know" malady afflicting the sport.
Azuma engaged the late Sanchez in the Mexican's last title defence. Sanchez won the gruelling 15 round contest but the brilliant performance exhibited by Azuma Nelson convinced the World Boxing Council to rate him No. 1 to the crown even before Sanchez died in a motor accident.
By any reasonable index, Azuma should be the main character in the search for a successor to the title. With this in view, the Ghanaian moved camp to the United States, generally accepted as the Mecca of professional boxing to engage in fights to put himself in shape and draw the WBC's attention to his capabilities.
While in the United States, Azuma took on several opponents and acquitted himself creditably. The ease with which he disposed of his opponents convinced many that Azuma was ripe for the title. In fact the Ringcraft Pro motions Syndicate, the group of boxing brains that manage Azuma made a lot of noise in Ghana about Azuma sure to fight for the crown last July.
Now that the dust has settled with a successor to Sanchez found without Azuma being given the chance to engage even in the preliminaries the syndicate must realise that in matters of this nature, press statements alone do not lead to success. It is the ability to wield influence in the corridors of the World Boxing Council that matters.
Mr Seth Asah and John Kermah, the two boxing magnates that control the promotions syndicate, must realise that boxing, like any other business, takes in a lot more than blowing hot air at home while the actual decision makers are far away across the Atlantic.
Azuma Nelson is in his prime. Like any boxer, if he is not able to get a shot at the crown round about this time and age begins to play tricks on him, it will be impossible to follow the footsteps of David Kotei Poison as the second Ghanaian to win a world crown.
If Azuma should not be left in the cold forever, then the syndicate must get moving. They must realise that it takes more than mere form to get such top fights. It might mean knocking at the doors of the WBC and big boxing promoters at odd hours.
In the interim, it is the hope of this writer that the WBC will be guided by a sense of fair-play in their handling of this issue. It does the council no credit to create the impression that the African is discriminated against in boxing. Azuma himself should not despair. He must keep in top shape so that when the door opens he will not hesitate in finding the right path.
No sports for girls in Sokoto
The Sokoto State House of Assembly has passed a motion banning sporting activities among post-primary school girls in the state.According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the motion sponsored by Alhaji Sule Mada was unanimously carried out on the grounds that such sporting activities were immoral.
Reacting to the motion, the Nigerian Sports Commission said in a statement in Lagos that it viewed with great displeasure and disapproval the passing of such a motion in any part of the country.
The Commission said it was a wrong notion that sporting activities among young girls was immoral because as Alhaji Sule Baba Made reportedly said, the young girls were "half dressed during such competitions".
The NSC said such a motion, if allowed to become law, would be infringing a part of section IV of constitution which guarantees individuals a right to peaceful assembly and association.
"All Nigerians and the whole wo are aware of the tremendous inter President Shehu Shagari has in sport And coming from Sokoto State himself, nothing can be more embarrassing to the President than that it would be his home state that would be bann sporting activities among you ladies" the statement bemoaned.
The NSC said it is equally unfortunate that such a step is being taken this time when women are clamour for more effective participation in spheres of life.
Apart from good health, sound intellect and commendable moral sports, said the NSC, "is also a powerful organ of unity among people of Nigeria which should not be discarded at this stage of the country’s development."
Ogun State
The Ogun State Sports Council Nigeria has disallowed all the governing bodies of sports in the state.A statement signed by its ordinator, Mr A.O. Fayomi explained that the action was to revitalise associations and create ample opportunities for maximum efficiency in running of sports in the state.
The sole Administrator of the council, Mrs Morenike Onamuga held a meeting with out-going Chairman of associations and commended the patriotic spirit.
Abiola Appeal
Mr Moshood Abiola, Nigeria's leading sports philanthropist has advocated the encouragement of physical education graduates in the implementation of sports policies in the country."These are the professionals and they deserve the encouragement of everyone connected with sports", told the country's sports minister Benneth Birabi, when he visited him at the Minister's office.
Mr Abiola would like to see uniform growth of sports in Nigeria and lamented that the constitution did not provide sufficiently for the control of sports at the federal level. He appealed to parents to allow their children to participate in sports as this The NSC said such a notion, if helps in the development of the brain
