BY NADIA NTIAMOAH
Ghana’s disappointing boxing campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games has sparked fresh concerns over the level of support provided to the national team, with veteran coach Ofori Asare revealing that the Black Bombers were forced to share basic competition equipment throughout the tournament.
The experienced trainer says the lack of essential boxing gear, coupled with administrative challenges, severely disrupted the team’s preparations and left the athletes competing under difficult conditions in Glasgow.
Ghana returned from the Commonwealth Games with only one medal in boxing—a bronze—despite hopes of mounting a stronger challenge against some of the world’s best amateur fighters.
Speaking to JoySports after the team’s return, Asare disclosed that the boxers had to share gloves, boots and shorts because there was not enough equipment for the entire squad.
According to him, the shortage created unnecessary stress for the athletes and even raised hygiene concerns as competitors were compelled to use the same gear during training and competition.
“We had our own challenges. Some of the boxers had to share boxing boots, gloves, and shorts, among other equipment, which was very stressful and unhygienic. As a coach, I had to ask the boxers to share because that was the only way we could move forward,” Asare said.
He explained that the technical team had expected the relevant authorities to provide the necessary equipment before the Games after receiving assurances that the logistical arrangements had been made.
However, those expectations were never met, forcing the coaching staff to improvise in order to ensure the team remained competitive throughout the tournament.
Asare further disclosed that Ghana’s participation itself nearly suffered a major setback because of documentation-related issues, warning that the team came close to being disqualified.
“We were expecting them to provide us with the necessary equipment because that was what we had been told. The Ghana team could have been disqualified because of the documentation issues,” he added.
