Hundreds of Ghanaians from all over the country yesterday converged on the State House in Accra to pay their last respects to Nana Charles Kumi Gyamfi, one of the successful coaches in the country’s history.

It was not surprising to see many people paying their last respects to the man credited with the honour of leading Ghana’s Black Stars to all their African Cup of Nations (AFCON) glory, both as a player and a coach.

It was a real celebration of life as tributes shared memories of his achievements, re-emphasising what was already known, but they strongly depicted him as a great and true sportsman who remained humble and warm-hearted throughout his life.

Ghanaian football legend, Charles Kumi Gyamfi (C.K. Gyamfi), will be laid in state at the forecourt of the State House in Accra today at 7 a.m. The state burial service will mark the start of the final funeral rites of C.K. Gyamfi 85, who died on September 2, 2015 at the Cocoa Clinic in Accra.

The scheduled funeral rites include a memorial service which will take place tomorrow at the Okorase Methodist School Park at 10 a.m.

The memorial service will be followed by a thanksgiving service at the Rev. Joseph Clegg Memorial Methodist Church in Kaneshie, Accra, on Sunday.

Imagine what it would be like if you suddenly lost one or two of your front teeth. Smiling, talking, eating—everything would suddenly be affected.

Mouthguards, also called mouth protectors, help cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw. They typically cover the upper teeth and are a great way to protect the soft tissues of your tongue, lips and cheek lining. Knowing how to prevent injuries like these is especially important if you participate in organized sports or other recreational activities.

When it comes to protecting your mouth, a mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age. In fact, studies show that athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer harm to the teeth if they’re not wearing a mouthguard. While collision and contact sports, such as boxing, are higher-risk sports for the mouth, you can experience a dental injury i

The chairman of the Premier League Board(PLB), Welbeck Abra-Appiah, who announced his resignation at the end of last season, might not have his intended rest from mainstream football activities as the Ghana Football Association(GFA) has compelled him to stay until  further directed.

Abra-Appiah, together with his vice, Ashford Tettey-Oku have been directed by the GFA to stay in office in what appears as a fresh mandate handed them.

The two are the only ones on the board whose appointments emanated from the GFA and the decision to extend their mandate is part of a general one taken by the football controlling body to keep all its sub committees working despite the election of new members to the Executive Council and the Regional Football Association.

Ghana's Joshua Clottey will be aiming to use Philadelphia-based brawler, Gabriel Rosado as a stepping stone for a world title shot when the pair clash in a catchweight bout on the Luis Ortiz-Bryant Jennings undercard tomorrow at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

At 38 years, another defeat for the former IBF welterweight champion, Clottey, who is moving up in weight to face Rosado could spell an end to an impressive career, which has seen him win IBF welterweight and WBA International super welterweight titles.

However, a win against Rosado(21-9, 13 KOs) - a fighter who has not won an official boxing match since 2012 - could set him on a path to bigger and better fights against the likes of the WBC middleweight champion, Saul Alvarez and the unified WBA, IBF, WBC and IBO middleweight champion, Gennady Golovkin.

Traditional wrestler, John Dekagbe, took silver at the just ended second Africa Zurkhaneh Sports and Koshti Palkivani championship in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The one-week Africa ranking competition climaxed last Tuesday at the Ethiopian capital.

The young wrestler was Ghana’s only representative at one of the continent’s largest wrestling competitions which featured over 20 countries.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP)  Presidential candidate for 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, yesterday gave 11 surviving members of Ghana’s 1965 AFCON team an early Christmas gift when he presented GH¢25,000 cash to them.

The money was meant to redeem a pledge the NPP Presidential candidate made to the team at their Golden Jubilee fund-raising dinner on December 3, 2015 at the Sun Lodge Hotel.

Nana Akufo-Addo personally handed over the cash to five members of the 1965 AFCON team who paid a courtesy call on him at his residence in Accra.

The members - Reverend Kofi Pare, John Bortey Naawu, Dodoo Ankrah, Wilberforce Mfum and Reverend Osei Kofi were in his house to express their gratitude for his immense support during their Golden Jubilee celebrations which came off on December 3 and 4, 2015.

The race for the 2015 African Player of the Year Award of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has been narrowed down to a three-horse affair for Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Gabon.

Ghana’s midfield sensation, Andre Ayew, who plays for English Premier League side, Swansea City, has again been shortlisted to contend with last year’s winner, Yaya Toure of Cote d”Ivoire and Manchester City fame and Gabonese sensation, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund.

This brings back memories of the 2011 edition in Accra which saw Toure snatching the prestigious prize away from Ayew in front of his countrymen.

The Lepowura of Kpembe in the Northern Region, Alhaji Mahamadu Nurudeen Jawula, has added his voice to the call by some football pundits to make the outgone members of the Ghana Football Association Executive Committee to refund part of the $15,000 they took home as ex-gratia in November this year.

According to Alhaji Jawula, currently chairman of the FA’s Club Licensing Committee, although he had nothing against the payment of the ex-gratia, the quantum was offensive as it exceeded the approved figure by congress four years ago.

He said the figure approved was $2,604 for each member and, therefore, asked that the receipients  should be made to refund some.

Former Black Stars prolific left winger and coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s youth side, Kofi Abbrey, has been granted permission to travel to London for a short holiday to refresh his career.

Abbrey, who was a member of the Black Stars squad which won gold at the AFCON tournament in 1982 in Libya libya, is scheduled to leave for London tomorrow morning.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, he said Kotoko had granted him permission to be away for five months.

He said he would take advantage of the period to visit friends and family members, especially his daughter and grandchildren who reside in London.

Abbrey, considered as one of the best left wingers Ghana has ever produced, first played for Sekondi Eleven Wise in 1977 when he, together with John Smith Bannerman and others defeated city rivals Hasaacasin a memorable match to win the national gala trophy.

He then pitched camp with Hasaacas in 1980 and tormented opposing defenders and was later adju

Rene Gameli Kwami and Esther Antwi last Saturday ended the golfing year on a high with victory in Group A of the maiden Carloking Open Championship at the Celebrity Golf Course at Sakumono, near Tema.

Kwami, a member of the Achimota Golf Club, scooped the crystal trophy in the one-day 18-Hole Medal Play competition with a net score of 69 in the men's category, while Esther returned a net score of 74 to pip her nearest rival Mercy Werner on countback to the Ladies top prize.

Esther was followed closely in the Ladies Group A by Mercy, who finished ahead of the former Lady Captain of the Tema Country Golf Club, Adelaide Owusu-Adjapong.

Alex Oppong from Dansoman was last Saturday crowned winner of the annual Hunters National Pool Tournament at the Accra Stadium after defeating Emmanuel Asiedu in the final.

An elated Oppong attributed his victory to hard work, saying, "I deserve this honour because I really worked for it."

Oppong took home a pool table and a trophy as first prize, while Asiedu received a flat screen television set for finishing as runner-up.

Richard Appiah also finished third and took home a refrigerator.

In a post-tournament interview with the Daily Graphic, the event coordinator, Nudzor Agbanu, noted that this year's tournament had been successful but challenging, considering the time frame.

Ghanaian football legend Charles Kumi Gyamfi (C.K. Gyamfi), who died on September 2, 2015, will be laid in state at the forecourt of the State House in Accra at 7 a.m. on Friday.

The state burial will mark the start of the final funeral rites of C.K. Gyamfi, which include a memorial service which will take place on Saturday at the Okorase Methodist School Park at 10 a.m.

The memorial service will be followed by a thanksgiving service, which will take place at the Rev. Joseph Clegg Memorial Methodist Church, Kaneshie, Accra, on Sunday, December 20, 2015.

Also known as Nana Kumi Gyamfi I for being the Guantoahene of the Benkum Division of the Akuapem Traditional Area, he died at the Cocoa Clinic in Accra at the age of 85.

 The sponsor of the Division One League, GN Bank, has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to organise a stakeholders meeting  to take stock of the challenges that affected the league and devise means to make it more competitive, attractive and sustainable.

  Controversial fighter Braimah Kamoko, alias Bukom Banku, has beaten a hasty retreat and posted a video vowing to fight old foe, Michael Ayittey Powers Okine, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on December 26.

The 36-year-old undefeated boxer earlier withdrew from the bout, citing health and personal reasons with speculations rife about his assertions that sponsors, JoyDadi Industries, and promoters, Landmark Promotions, favouring Powers to defeat him, which led to his boycott of the bout.