Ghana’s boxers were forced to share boots, gloves and shorts during the 2026 Commonwealth Games because the team did not have enough equipment, coach Ofori Asare has revealed.
Asare, who led Team Ghana’s boxing team at Glasgow 2026, said the shortage created difficult and unhygienic conditions for the athletes. He explained that boxers had to share essential items among themselves to ensure the squad could continue competing and avoid embarrassment during the event.
The coach said the arrangement was not healthy and did not place the athletes in a good position, but that he had little choice but to ask them to compromise in order to represent Ghana.
“We had our own challenges. Some of the boxers had to share boxing boots, gloves, and shorts, among other equipment, which was very stressful and unhygienic. As a coach, I had to ask the boxers to share because that was the only way we could move forward,” he told JoySports in an interview.
Asare’s comments come after criticism of his managerial performance at the Games, where Ghana won only a bronze medal in boxing under his watch.
He rejected the suggestion that he and the boxers should carry sole responsibility for the team’s difficulties. Instead, Asare said the authorities responsible for preparing and supporting the team should also be held accountable.
The coach also disclosed that Ghana’s participation in the boxing competition was threatened by problems involving documentation. He said the team came close to being disqualified before it could fully take part in the Games.
“We were expecting them to provide us with the necessary equipment because that was what we had been told. The Ghana team could have been disqualified because of the documentation issues,” Coach Asare added.
The revelations highlight the range of problems faced by Ghana’s boxing team at Glasgow 2026, from a lack of basic sporting equipment to administrative concerns that endangered the country’s participation.
According to Asare, the equipment shortage affected several members of the squad rather than being limited to one athlete or one particular item. Sharing gloves, boots and shorts was used as a way to manage the shortfall and allow the team to continue representing Ghana.
Although the coach acknowledged that the situation was stressful and unhygienic, he said the decision was made because it was the only practical option available to the squad at the time.
Asare’s defence follows criticism over Ghana’s limited medal return in boxing. The team secured just one bronze medal during the competition, leading to questions about the management of the squad.
However, the coach maintained that the responsibility for the team’s experience should not rest solely with him or the athletes. He argued that those in authority must answer for the failure to provide the equipment the boxers had been expecting, as well as for the documentation problems that nearly resulted in disqualification.
