BOXING: Sports Ministry presented with committee report on death of Nigerian boxer, pledges to implement recommendations

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By: Maxwell Woyram Tsigbe

Ghana’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation is headed by Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams has acknowledged receipt of a final report on the tragic death of Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju and promised to implement the recommendations in it.

The report was submitted to the sector Minister on Friday, May 16, 2025, by the 7-member committee constituted and tasked to investigate the cause of death of the Nigerian boxer whose sudden demise occurred during a professional bout at the Bukom Boxing Arena in the country’s capital, Accra.

The committee, chaired by Ambassador Major (RTD) Amarkai Amarteifio, was inaugurated on April 8, 2025, and given a 21 day ultimatum to deliver its findings.

Addressing the media after receiving the committee’s final report, Hon. Kofi Adams praised the team for the dedication and commitment to carry out its mandate within the stipulated timeframe and assured of addressing any oversight that may have contributed to the tragic incident.

“On behalf of the government and His Excellency the President (John Dramani Mahama), I say a big thank you for accepting to do this and presenting the report on time. The Ministry has received the report, and we will study it and then make sure that we implement the findings because we took time to select the people with experience to serve on the committee, the Minister stated.

He noted that the Ministry will make the report public after studying it to help reform boxing and other sporting disciplines to prevent such occurrences in the future. Hon. Addams is also hopeful that the report will provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding Oluwasegun’s death without concealing any key information.

On his part, the Chairman of the Committee, Ambassador Major (RTD) Amarkai Amarteifio, recounted how boxing tremendously elevated Ghana’s image globally but was quick to bemoan the current deteriorating status of the discipline.

After touting the report as a “unique platform” to address the pressing needs of sporting disciplines in the country, he concluded his speech by commending his team members for a good work done and also thanked the health workers at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and all other persons whose contribution had helped to enrich the report.

Other committee members included: seasoned boxing referee Eddie Pappoe, former Ghana Boxing Authority president and legal practitioner Peter Zwennes, veteran sports journalist and boxing historian Ekow Asmah, sports medicine specialist Dr. Martin Engmann, and legal experts Samuel Bartels and Juliana Addo-Yobo.

The 40-year-old Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju unexpectedly collapsed onto the boxing ring without any provocative or life threatening punch from his Ghanaian opponent during a bout at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra on Saturday, March 29, 2025. Unfortunately, he was later pronounced dead at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.