Bismark Saah who has been representing the Ghana Armed Forces in the Imax Boxing Promotions League has called out Stanley Nyantekyi aka The Ashanti Warrior for a showdown with the latter's National Featherweight title belt at stake.

Saah, classed as one of the talented and skilful boxers following his exploits in the Imax Boxing League has a record of 8 fights, won 5, lost 1 and drawn twice.

Nyantekyi who is managed by Osibor Promotions has lost one in eleven bouts and won ten. He holds the National title as well as the UBO Africa and LBO Featherweight belts.

He has been voted Boxing Personality of the year twice and has remarkable following.

The pride of Ashanti has promised to win a world title for the Ashanti Kingdom and winning his next fight will certainly place him in a different class as he continues his journey to real world rating and classification.

Boxing fans who discussed this bout between Bismark Saah and Stanley Nyantekyi observed that it is going to best the best out of both boxers and the winner must be supported to go for either the African or Commonwealth title.

For now, the ball is in the court of Osibor Management and Promotions to take up the challenge and give fight fans another delicious pugilistic meal.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The president of the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC) and the president of the National Paralympic Committee of Ghana, Samson Deen has donated food items to Paralympic federations and their athletes and urged them to stay focused and united during the month of Ramadan.

Representatives from five federations and various athlete reps from other sports federations, coming together during the holy month of Ramadan, showcased a powerful display of unity and collaboration within the Paralympic community as they joined the president to share gift items within Accra.

The donation was made at the premises of the African Paralympic Committee in Accra on Thursday morning, and the heads of the various federations were in attendance.

The Ghana Paralympic President donated consumables to the federations, including 100 bags of rice, 50 gallons of oil, 50 bags of sugar and salt, 50 tins of tomatoes, and other items to support their efforts.

The athletes, deeply moved by the AfPC president’s benevolence and charitable contribution, expressed their heartfelt thanks and assured him they would do their best to make the country proud, underscoring the profound impact of the donation on the recipients.

Representing the Wheel Chair Tennis team, Bridget Nartey, a wheelchair tennis player, also thanked Mr Samson Deen for the items they’ve received on behalf of all the para-athletes.

The General Secretary of the NPC-Ghana, Henry Larbi, thanked the athletes for honouring the invitation and assured them that the donations would be taken to the other regions as well.

“We’re doing this for para-athletes in Accra, and we’ll extend beyond. Soon, we’ll be hoping to take it to the other regions, spreading ” the benefits and opportunities to a wider group of athletes,” he remarked, instilling a sense of hope and optimism about the Paralympic community’s growth.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

The African Paralympic Committee (APC) has extended heartfelt congratulations to Kirsty Coventry on her election as the first female President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The announcement, made on March 22, 2025, marks a significant milestone not only for the Olympic Movement but also for gender equality in sports leadership.

APC President Samson Deen in a statement said, the committee expressed immense pride in Coventry’s achievement, highlighting her as a trailblazer for African women and athletes worldwide.

“The continent of Africa is proud of you as her first daughter and former athlete to rise to the highest office of the biggest global sports movement,” Deen wrote. He emphasized Coventry’s journey as a “beacon of hope” and a testament to the power of perseverance, vision, and determination.

Coventry, a Zimbabwean sports minister and former Olympic swimmer and two-time gold medalist, has long been a prominent figure in sports administration.

Her election as IOC President is seen as a breakthrough for inclusivity, breaking barriers in a historically male-dominated field.

The APC’s message underscored her resilience as an African woman, noting that her leadership will inspire generations across the continent and beyond.

The APC also expressed optimism about future collaborations between the IOC and the African Paralympic Movement.

“We look forward to strengthening the collaboration between the IOC and the African Paralympic Committee through the International Paralympic Committee to advance inclusivity, accessibility, and excellence in sports,” the statement read.

The committee envisions a future where athletes of all abilities can thrive and showcase their talents on the global stage, a mission they believe Coventry will champion.

Deen concluded the message with a blessing, wishing Coventry “God’s blessings, guidance, and success” in her tenure as IOC President.

The APC’s statement reflects a broader sentiment of unity and hope within the African sports community, as they rally behind one of their own in this historic role.

Coventry’s election comes at a pivotal time for the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, with growing calls for diversity, equity, and accessibility in sports.

Her leadership is expected to bring fresh perspectives to the IOC, particularly in promoting the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements across Africa and the world.

By Sammy Heywood Okine                                            

George Faho Mensah also known as ‘Stopper’ his numerous fans stopped his Burkinabe opponent in the first round of their 10 rounds scheduled bout in Lome, Togo on Saturday, March 22, 2025.

He gave much thanks to the Almighty for the quick win and his management SP Sport Management Team for the massive support as well as family and friends for their prayers and motivation.

The 42 year old Patrice SouToke, an experienced boxer now drops in his record of 23 - 13 -1, while George Faho Mensah who is moving steadily bo Become a champion now has (10-1-0)  and gradually building himself to become one of the best and favourite boxers in Africa.

The young welterweight campaigner is now among the feared boxers and opponents are running from him.

According to his manager, Samuel Darkwa Agyei, of SP Management, they are looking forward to get international bouts in other African countries like South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania or Nigeria and possibly Europe or America.

George Faho Mensah has won all his recent bouts and keeps on making new friends and attracting more fans and supporters.

According to manager Darkwa Agyei, the sky is the limit and his ward will certainly become a champion.

By Sammy Heywood Okine    

He is known for boxing news and interviews on boxinghana.com and Omashi TV, but experienced sports journalist, Sammy Heywood Okine joined the frenzy ahead of the Black Stars of Ghana versus Chad FIFA World Cup Qualifier and predicted that Ghana will win by 5 goals to nothing.

He also wished that Accra Hearts of Oak goal keeper is selected to man the goal posts and it also came to pass.

The veteran sports journalist has been predicting some of the loses of Ghana and he says things were not done right when the Black Stars were losing and even missed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

He feels Otto Addo should be given a free hand to work closely with the technical staff headed by Coach Schifer and assisted by Coach John Paintsil, Desmond Ofei and Fatau Dauda.

He also thinks the involvement of old stars like Stephen Appiah and Asamoah Gyan in psyching the players is very essential and important.

He expressed that Ghana cannot afford to miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"If and when the right things are done the whole nation will support the Black Stars and they will beat everyone" he expressed.

Sammy Heywood Okine is Communications Director at the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Associate Editor of Boxinghana.com, Editor in Chief at Ultimatesportsgh.com and Ghana Representative of African Sports Media Ventures, He is also Founders / President of Ghana Boxing Writers Association and Host / Presenter of ‘The Big Fight Night’ on Omashi TV. He was former Deputy General Secretary of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG).

By Reginald Tyron

Japan have become the first nation to qualify for the men’s 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating Bahrain 2-0 on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Goals in the second half from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo helped Japan make an eighth consecutive men's World Cup.

Japan have reached the round of 16 at the last two World Cups, while they first qualified in 1998, four years before hosting the global football event along with the Republic of Korea.

Thursday’s victory guaranteed Japan’s place in one of the two automatic qualifying spots in Group C of the Asian qualifiers.

Japan have done so with three games to spare, making them the first non-hosts to confirm their spot in the tournament, joining co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America.

At least eight nations from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will make the 48-team World Cup next year.

Five more countries can join Japan by securing their place in this qualifying phase, the third round, which has been split into three groups all featuring six nations.

Australia are also well placed in Group C to qualify. In Group A, the Islamic Republic of Iran are top, with Uzbekistan second ahead of the United Arab Emirates.

In Group B, the Republic of Korea lead the way ahead of Iraq and Jordan.

Qualifying continues this month before this round concludes in June. Once that is over, there will be a fourth round, consisting of two groups of three, where the two group winners will also make the 2026 World Cup.

The inter-confederation play-offs could then result in a ninth Asian team featuring at the World Cup.

This play-off will consist of one team each from Asia, Africa (CAF), South America (CONMEBOL) and Oceania (OFC), and two from CONCACAF – the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.

Credit Beatrice Laryea / Graphic Sports

The Black Stars of Ghana put out an amazing performance last Friday evening to beat Les Sao of Chad by five goals to nil at the Accra Sports Stadium which was filed to capacity in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier.

After consultations with major stakeholders like Parliament which represents the people, Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PfAG) and Ministry of Sports and Recreation collaborating with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as the National Sports Authority (NSA) ensuring that the venue and other things are done right and well, the stage was set for a good match, and the Stars did well to make Ghanaians happy.

President John Dramani Mahama said the result gave him good appetite to eat well, as he was advised to eat before going to the stadium to watch the match.

Hon. Kofi Adams personally invited Ghanaians to watch and pray for the Black Stars to qualify as the World Cup is very important.

Coach Otto Addo and his charges did what was expected with good goals coming from Antoine Semenyo, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salisu, Jordan Ayew and Ernest Nuamah who many described as the man of the match.

In posts for the Black Stars was local goalie Benjamin Asare of Accra Hearts of Oak, who inspired the game as many Ghanaians were so elated to see him as the number one choice.

New captain Jordan Ayew also proved to be an experienced leader with the support of Thomas Partey, Gideon Mensah, Kingsley Schindler, Alexander Djiku and Mohammed Kudus.

The Black Stars who now lead the group with 12 points faces Madagascar on Monday in Morocco. A win will give them 15 points.

We wish the team all the best.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Jeremiah Azu won 60m gold in a new personal best at World Athletics Indoor Championships.

The Welsh sprinter follows up on European success with stunning triumph on day one in Nanjing. The athlete named ‘Azoom’ got out of the blocks well and went on to match his personal best of 6.49 secs.

Jeremiah Azu was born on 15 May 2001. He is a Welsh sprinter. He is the 2025 European Indoor Champion and 2025 World Indoor Champion over 60 metres.in 2024, he became the first Welshman to run the 100 metres in under 10 seconds in wind-legal conditions. Azu is a three-time British champion, twice indoors over 60m, once outdoors over 100 metres and a European Champion in the 4 x 100 metre relay.

Born in Rotterdam (Netherlands) to Ghanaian parents, Azu takes pride in his African heritage, especially when it comes to food. "My family's originally from Ghana; so I like to learn Ghanaian dishes from my Mum.

He aims to make a name for Wales at the Olympic Games.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Accra, Ghana - Date- 20-03-25

The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) warmly congratulates Kirsty Coventry on her historic election as the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe, becomes the first woman and the first African to lead the global Olympic movement.

The GOC, on behalf of the entire Ghanaian sporting community, celebrates this groundbreaking achievement and recognizes the significance of Coventry’s appointment in fostering diversity, inclusivity, and progressive leadership within the Olympic Movement.

Ben Nunoo Mensah, President of the GOC, expressed his admiration and support for the newly elected president:

"We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Kirsty Coventry on her well-deserved election as the President of the IOC. As an athlete and leader, she has consistently demonstrated dedication, resilience, and a passion for uplifting sports on the African continent and globally. We believe her leadership will inspire and unite the Olympic community while promoting the values of excellence, friendship, and respect."

Coventry’s appointment marks a new chapter for the IOC, and the GOC is confident that her leadership will further strengthen the Olympic Movement's commitment to advancing youth and sports development worldwide. Her achievements as an athlete and sports administrator exemplify the spirit of Olympism and reflect Africa’s rising influence on the global sporting stage.

The GOC pledges its full support to President Coventry as she embarks on this remarkable journey and looks forward to collaborating with her to promote the Olympic values and elevate the sporting aspirations of athletes from Ghana and beyond.

GOC COMMUNICATIONS

Kirsty Coventry reacts as she delivers a speech after being elected as the new IOC President on Day Two of the 144th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session on March 20, 2025 in Costa Navarino, Greece. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam - AIPS Media  

COSTA NAVARINO, March 20, 2025 - Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry has today made history as the first woman and African to become the president of the International Olympic Committee. And fittingly, this milestone was achieved in Costa Navarino, Greece, around 100km from the sacred site of Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

10-MINUTE LIFE CHANGE In what many thought was one of the most unpredictable elections in IOC history, the 41-year-old Coventry only needed one round of voting in less than ten minutes to obtain the absolute majority of votes. While she was largely perceived as one of the frontrunners during the six-month campaign, with many believing she had the backing of the outgoing President Thomas Bach, there was really no clear-cut favourite among the record field of seven candidates prior to the election.

49 OUT OF 97 VOTED COVENTRY Out of a total of 97 possible votes, Coventry amassed 49. IOC Vice-President Juan Antonio Samaranch settled for second place with 28 votes. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe was third with 8 votes, followed by UCI President David Lappartient and FIG President Morinari Watanabe with 4 votes apiece. IOC Executive Board member Prince Feisal Al Hussein and FIS President Johan Eliasch got 2 votes each.

HISTORIC MOMENT FOR IOC A luxury resort overlooking the crystal clear waters of the Ionian Sea was the setting for this consequential gathering of the IOC’s exclusive club. This is a historic moment in the 130-year history of the IOC, which first co-opted women as members for the first time in 1981 at the Session in Baden-Baden, Germany. Then in 1997, Anita DeFrantz, a rowing bronze medallist in 1976, became the first female vice-president of the IOC, before running for the presidency in 2001.

"My very dear colleagues, this is an extraordinary moment," Coventry began her acceptance speech. "As a nine-year-old girl, I never thought that I would be standing up here one day getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours. This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder of my commitment to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride with the values at the core and I will make all of you very, very proud and hopefully extremely confident in the decision that you've taken today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and now we've got some work together.

"And I would like to really thank all the candidates. This race was an incredible race and it made us better, made us a stronger movement. I know from all of the conversations that I've had with every single one of you how much stronger our movement is going to be when we now come back together and deliver on some of those ideas that we all shared. Thank you very much for this moment and thank you very much for this honour.

MOST DECORATED AFRICAN FEMALE OLY Coventry, Africa’s most-decorated Olympian with seven medals – including two golds – from five Olympic Games to her name, was first elected to the IOC as a member of the Athletes’ Commission in 2013, then as an individual member in 2021. She stated in her manifesto that she wanted “to give back to the Movement that has given me so much and allowed me to be who I am today”. And now she has the opportunity to do so.

She is currently serving on the IOC Executive Board and leading the IOC commissions monitoring the progress of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics and 2032 Brisbane Olympics. She has been Zimbabwe's minister of sport, arts and recreation since September 2018.

MISSION “My mission to drive empowerment, strengthen engagement, and ensure we remain relevant, is guided by the Ubuntu philosophy: ‘I am because we are.’ This principle highlights the combined strength of the Olympic community and our responsibility to uplift one another,” Coventry wrote in her manifesto.

8-YEARS TERM AS IOC PRESIDENT According to the Olympic Charter, the new president is elected on an initial eight-year term with the possibility of re-election to a second four-year term for a maximum of 12 years in total. To ensure a smooth transition, Coventry's term of office will start on 24 June 2025.

Source AIPS