Boxing coach / referee / judge Chief Petty Officer Class 1 Bernard Tetteh Nartey of the Ghana Navy has called on the Ministry of Sports & Recreation and National Sports Authority (NSA) for serious attention on grassroots boxing.
Speaking to Yours Truly in an exclusive interview on ‘The Big Fight Night” on Omashi TV, Tetteh Nartey, winner of the Boxing Ghana Amateur Referee of the Year said the success of the national teams; Black Bombers and Black Hitters (female squad) are dependent on a solid foundation of the Black Rockets and juvenile boxing.
According to the product of Adisadel College, he is glad to be involved in boxing education and making a positive impact by training the young up and coming who will become the future champions.
The former boxer who trained at the Attoh Quarshie Boxing Club and Charles Quartey Gym gave much credit to their elders, senior colleagues and champions who have maintained the status quo and hope to relay the knowledge and skills to those coming up.
As a force man who lives in the boxing community of Ga Mashie, he had to support his employers when the Ghana Boxing league started so he has always been in the corner of the Ghana Armed Forces team, the Ghana Army who won the competition last season.
“I love to learn new things and also love to share knowledge so i love what I do” he stated.
Referee Tetteh Nartey participated in the recent IBA course held at the Accra Sports Stadium and commended the facilitators, National Sports Authority, the Ghana Boxing Federation and all those who attended to build their capacity.
“The course has upgraded our boxing knowledge and made us appreciate what the IBA has been doing to promote and develop Amateur Boxing in the world” he expressed.
He hoped the international course would be frequently held in Africa to enable more participation.
He noted that Africa and Ghana have talent not only among boxers but officials like coaches, referees, time keepers and record keepers. so they need to be involved and advise the participants to share the knowledge.
He wished that the participants of the course would be spread throughout to impart on the other regions and organisations.
“Boxing is our number one sport in Ghana so we should do the right things or we will keep on struggling and other countries will bypass us. We must honour those who have done well in the past, taking the country to glorious heights, like Clement Ike Quartey who won Africa’s first medal at the Olympic Games in 1960 for those coming to see and feel the need to sacrifice or die for the nation. In fact sportsmen and women need to be rewarded adequately well to inspire and motivate others” he pleaded.