Ghanaian boxer Samuel Takyi has expressed his desire for the $20,000 reward pledged by President Akufo-Addo to be disbursed before he commits to joining Ghana’s boxing team for the 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers. Takyi made history by clinching the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, putting an end to Ghana’s 29-year Olympic medal drought.
Remarkably, the West African nation had only secured four medals since the inception of the Olympic Games, with three of them originating from the sport of boxing. Takyi’s remarkable performance in Tokyo earned him the distinction of becoming the fifth Ghanaian Olympic medalist (taking into account the Satellites as a collective unit).
In recognition of his achievement, President Akufo-Addo rewarded him with a car and $30,000, with $10,000 provided in cash and the remaining $20,000 allocated to his career development fund.
According to Mr. Bernard Quartey, President of Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation, boxer SamuelTakyi demanded all that was promised him in 2021 be paid before he participates in the 2024 qualifiers.
This and other demands left the GBF no choice but to drop him.Source: Joy Sports pic.twitter.com/RSHQbUYAfe
— Spintex TV (@spintextv) September 4, 2023
Fast forward two years, and Takyi has articulated his request for the outstanding $20,000 to be delivered to him prior to his participation in the 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers.
Bernard Quartey, the President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation, confirmed that Takyi has been omitted from the Black Bombers team for the qualifiers due to his demands. He stated, “He was also demanding the money that was pledged by the president [Akufo-Addo] is $20,000 which was supposed to be used as a developmental fee for him. Secondly, he demanded that before he joined the team, he should be given an Olympic Scholarship. These are the conditions he demanded but we don’t have the power to dictate it. He is welcome to join but not with conditionalities.”
Assessing the situation, the coach deemed it prudent for Takyi not to be included, citing psychological preparedness. The team is proceeding with the current lineup, and should a boxer in Takyi’s weight category qualify, arrangements will need to be made for him in a different weight category for the subsequent qualifiers.
Meanwhile, among the Black Bombers team heading to Senegal for the Olympic Games qualifiers, UK-based Ghanaian boxer Freezy Macbones is set to make his mark.
