Ray Quarcoo at 79; The life of a sports administrator, sponsor

Goodwill sports ambassador, Ray E. Quarcoo, will mark his 79th milestone on Sunday at his plush Roman Ridge residence in Accra.

Expected to perform at the function is the music maestro, Kojo Antwi; a close friend of Mr Quarcoo.

Speaking to the media ahead of the programme, Quarcoo, an accomplished businessman and sports philantropist, stated: “I am most grateful to God for how far he has brought me. I will go to church on the day with family members and friends to thank God. Thereafter, I will dine with some few friends and my family.”

A patron of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), he remains one of the few personalities who has contributed immensely to sports development in the country.

Some of the nation’s great boxers, including Professor Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, Alfred Kotey, the Clottey brothers (Joshua and Emmanuel), directly benefitted from his counsel and assistance in their respective success stories.

In 2001, Ambassador Quarcoo was appointed the first vice-chairman of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA). He received a certificate of honour for sports promotion and development by the International Olympic Committee in 1994 and subsequently, honoured by the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) for his immense contribution towards Ghana’s participation in the Barcelona Olympics.

From 1991 to 1993, he was appointed  vice-chairman of the welfare committees of the senior national soccer team, Black

Stars, and the National Sports Council.

In 1984, he supported the GOC with $5,000 towards the Los Angeles Olympic Games, sponsored the Black Bombers to participate in the USA and funded their programme in Lagos, Nigeria among a tall list of selfless or philanthropic services.

Mr Quarcoo, until recently was the president of the Ghana Boxing