No automatic qualification for Freezy MacBones

UK-based Ghanaian boxer, Seth Gyimah ‘Freezy MacBones’, will no longer get automatic qualification to contest in the upcoming Olympic Games qualifiers in Thailand and in Italy.

Unlike the qualifier in Senegal where he was handed straight entry to contest, the 31-year-old must now justify his inclusion in the team by competing against local boxers to earn his spot for the qualification.

This was disclosed to the Graphic Sports by the first vice-president of the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF), Dauda Fuseini, who said the boxer would no longer be given a second time automatic qualification after he was given the first opportunity.

Fuseini believes there are other local boxers in the queue waiting and it wouldn’t be fair to ignore them the second time for Freezy MacBones especially when he could not prove himself at the qualifiers and want the UK-based boxer to earn the slot by proving he is better than the local ones.

''Now Freezy will have to slug it out with the rest of the light heavyweights here because we have given him one opportunity already and we believe there are other boxers who are behind looking for such opportunity.”

''So I think we have to get him involved with them, slug it out with them to see if we still think that he is the best in that division to represent the country'', the GBF vice said.

Fuseini also explained why none of the officials from the federation accompanied the team to the tournament, insisting it was a miscommunication between him and his president who was initially billed to travel with the team.

He said it was unfortunate the boxers felt neglected at the tournament but explained that he was engaged elsewhere and by the time he was contacted by the GBF president to represent the federation, he had already committed to something and could not make the trip.

''Initially the president and I were registered to be part of the team. Along the line the president told me that due to financial constraint I could not be part of the team but he would be going with the team so I said ok.”

''So I took my mind off the trip and concentrated on other areas but during the last minute he called me that he wasn’t feeling good, and I should represent him. Around that period of time I was also engaged with other activities so I couldn’t make it. I called the second vice and he told me same story; that’s why we couldn’t make it'', he stated.