Segun "Success" Olanrewaju
Kofi Adams, Ghana’s minister for sports and recreation, says an investigative committee will be constituted to probe the death of Segun Olanrewaju during a fight in the country.
The minister spoke in a chat with Sporty FM, a Ghanaian radio station, on Tuesday.
On March 29, Olarenwaju died after slumping during a boxing match in Ghana.
The boxer collapsed to the canvas in the third round of a fight against Jon Mbanugu, a Ghanaian, at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra.
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Olarenwaju was pronounced dead a few minutes after he was rushed to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Remi Aboderin, secretary-general of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), had accused the Ghana Boxing Authority of negligence in the boxer’s death.
Aboderin said the Ghanaian boxing federation did not adhere to the sport’s rules and regulations before staging the fatal fight.
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Reacting to the allegation, Ghana’s sports minister said “nothing will be covered” by the panel that would be set up to probe the incident.
He then called for cooperation from NBB of C and the Ghana Boxing Authority when the committee is eventually constituted.
“It is only through an investigation that we can determine if all the protocols that need to be sanctioned for a fight were followed and if all the ringside protocols were also followed — if paramedics were available,” Adams said.
“We have only begun the process; we need to institute a committee to look into what happened. I have assured all that nothing will be covered; we will ask all the questions that must be asked.
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”We hope that if the Nigerian side and the Ghanaian side will cooperate with the team that will be put in place to investigate this matter.”
Olanrewaju was a former West African and national light-heavyweight champion.
He competed in 24 bouts with 13 wins, eight losses, and three draws.
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