Nwankpa Urges New Direction For Boxing

Head Coach of the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) Obisia Nwankpa, has called for proactive measures that will uplift the game of boxing in the country.

Nwankpa made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

He said that if Nigeria was to win laurels from the game any time soon, boxing administrators in the country must take deliberate steps to improve the sport.

He decried what he called the “slow pace of preparation of Team Nigeria for the London 2012 Olympic Games saying the administrators were to blame.

Nwankpa, a Gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games in 1974, expressed dismay at the exclusion of former boxers in the administration of the sport in Nigeria.

He said the absence of professionals in the administration of the sport in the country was responsible for the regression recorded in sport.

“They say “a nation without elderly ones is a nation without progress.

“So boxing is going down because those who made boxing what it is are not honoured and they feel dishonoured. Most of those who suffered – the legends of all these games – are being rejected.

“And now they play politics with the game; they bring people from abroad; they want to ruin boxing; that is what is happening to boxing.’’

Nwankpa cautioned against the politicisation of the administration of boxing, saying appointments to various coaching positions should be on merit.