Sports
Azuma's bout on October 12
Azuma Nelson's often postponed first world title defence will take place at the Birmingham Exhibition Centre on October 12. His opponent is Pat Cowdell, former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion, who is looking forward to a unification match with Barry McGuiggan even before the Azuma date.Azuma was originally scheduled to have fought Marcos Villasana of Mexico but the Mexican lost the right to challenge for the world's top prize in the nine stone division when he was whipped into submission by Leo Valdrese, an unrated fellow Mexican in a warm-up fight.
The tonic for the expected large crowd is that both Azuma and Cowdell lost narrowly to the late Salvador Sanchez in their bid to wear the world crown. Which of them has the willpower to outsmart the opponent would be the question which the proposed British Olympic city of Birmingham would answer on October 12.
Zimbabwe club want to tour Ghana
Dynamos club of Zimbabwe which whipped Asante Kotoko 5-1 during the Ghanaian club's two-match tour of this Southern African country, have asked their victims to invite them to tour Ghana.Mr Lincoln Mutasa, the club's chairman said they made the request because they want to prove to the sporting populace of Ghana that their 5-1 triumph was no fluke.
Kotoko chairman's pledge
Mr Ofori-Nuako, newly appointed chairman has pledged to ensure that players of Fabulous Asante Kotoko were happy at all times."Before and during the Kotoko convention, it was evident that the playing body was behind my rival, Mr Charles Gyimah and for that matter the Bawuah administration. That is understandable and nobody should blame them. Now that I am in the chair, it is up to me to prove to Kyenkyenhene and his colleagues that I am capable of making them proud and happy to play for a great club," Mr Ofori Nuako was quoted by the Sporting Times to have said after his appointment.
He said his immediate assignment would be to motivate the players to display that championship qualities capable of winning the African Cup of Cup Winners in which Kotoko are drawn against Leopards of Kenya.
In another development, Mr Ernest Yaw Bawuah, outgoing chairman assured his successor of his support at all times.
"I am always prepared to help the administration, even financially, because I love Kotoko. For the four years that we were in office, we did our best and the records cannot be erased. As far as I am concerned I have played my part in the history of Kotoko and I can have no regrets," Mr Bawuah said.
Attuquaye's sons quit boxing
The boxing school - Akotoku Academy - established by the late Attuquaye Clottey, perhaps Ghana's most colourful boxing coach is in ruins. Two of his three children - who served as the burning torch of boxing skills - have been forced to retire prematurely.Featherweight, Thunder Clottey, former African champion and the man widely tipped to succeed Azuma Nelson in the world rankings, suffered a detached retina and called it quits.
And the latest sad news is that Hector Clottey, who was at the verge of getting a crack at the Commonwealth bantamweight crown has packed it in because of ill-health.
This leaves Judas Clottey as the only son of the man who trained D.K. Poison to become African, Commonwealth and World champion, in boxing.
Nigeria pick team for varsity games
The Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA) has named its team for the World Universities Games beginning in Kobe, Japan, on Saturday.The list, released in Lagos, showed that most of the athletes who will participate in the games are students in institutions learning abroad. The athletes include Yusuf Alli, Chidi Imo, Innocent Egbunike, Sunday Uti, Victor Edet, Henry Amike, Paul Emoridi, Moses Ugbisle, Daniel Ogidi and Akani Gbadamosi.
Others Eseme Ikoot, Timothy are Arinze, Airat Bakare, Kehinde Vaughan, Maria Usifo, Rufina Uba, Caroline Nwajie, Okoro Ogmore and Victoria Aiko.
According to the chairman of NUGA, Professor Bassey Andah, who will lead the delegation: "We have chosen only the athletes who have potential for winning medals, we want to try and perform better than we did in Edmonton."
GFA ban George Alhassan
Towering George Alhassan, Black Sta and Accra Great Olympics' top striker, has been banned indefinitely from playing football in Ghana.The ban announced by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) meant that Alhassan would not play in all matches be friendly or competitive, organised by the association.
A GFA statement said it became necessary to place a ban on Alhassan for flouting camping rules in the Black Stan camp at St Huberts, Kumasi.
It said Alhassan reported to camp Thursday after the Tuesday mid-day ultimatum given by the GFA and just before the trial match against the junior team, Black Meteors, Alhassan left camp against the advice of the handlers and some of his colleagues.
His excuse was that he was leaving attend to what he termed "businesses which were more important than playing a training match."
The GFA viewed Alhassan's behaviour as unbecoming and a very bad example to other members of the Black Stars. therefore found no option other than place an indefinite ban on him as deterrent to prospective offenders.
Alhassan was the goal-king of the 1984 African Cup of Nations Soccer Tournament in Libya which the Black Stars won for an unprecedented fourth time.
Nigeria win Africa Games
Nigerian athletes, who won the All-African Athletic championship in Cairo will dominate the Africa team to the world championship in Australia.Fourteen Nigerians, 10 men and four women have been named in the Africa contingent. They are Paul Emordi, who won the long and triple jumps in Cairo. Innocent Egbunike, who snatched the 40 metres gold and a sweet revenge over Olympic silver medalist Gabriel Tiacoh of Ivory Coast. Other winners were Sunday Uti, Chidi Imoh, Henry Amike, Victo Edet, Christian Okoye, Eseme Ikpoto, Isia Adeyangu and Joseph Kio.
The women, all based in the United States are Rafuna Uba, Kehinde VaughanAirat Bakare and Maria Usifo. In the All Africa championship, Kenya were second to Nigeria with Morocco in third.
