Foreign coach needed to revive Black Bombers — Lartey

Former Assistant trainer of the Black Bombers, Lartekwei Lartey, has voiced strong criticism of the current state of the team under the leadership of Kwesi Ofori Asare.

According to Coach Lartey, the team's failure to qualify any boxers for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics was a strong indication of the need for a change in the technical direction and coaching strategy.

Coach Kwei told the Graphic Sports that only an expatriate trainer, particularly one with expertise in amateur boxing, could restore the Black Bombers to their former glory.

He suggested that the state should consider hiring a Cuban trainer or another foreign trainer with a strong background in amateur boxing to revive the team's fortunes.

Criticising his former boss’ approach, he accused him of being authoritarian and resistant to external advice, claiming that Asare acted as if he owned the team. That, according to Kwei, had led to biased selection processes and inadequate preparation of the boxers.

Coach Lartey also pointed out that Coach Asare, who had been leading the team since 2008, had only secured a single bronze medal during his tenure, a record the former assistant trainer found unacceptable. 

He argued that Coach Asare, who was past retirement age, should step down to make way for a more qualified trainer capable of bringing the team up to international standards.

“Coach Asare thinks he knows it all, he listens to no one, he takes advice from no one, he respects no other views, and he does what he likes; it is like he owns the Black Bombers, he selects his own boxers and choose boxers mostly aligned to him,” he said

The Black Bombers' recent failure to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in two decades, despite multiple attempts in Senegal, Italy and Thailand, underscores the urgency of this change. 

Their last hope for Olympic qualification was dashed when the only female boxer, Ornella Sathoud, lost to her Colombian opponent.