Black Bombers head coach Ofori Asare says Ghana’s boxing team faced severe logistical problems at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with three boxers forced to share one competition kit during the tournament.
Ghana returned from the Games with only one bronze medal, and Asare believes the team’s preparations were seriously undermined by a shortage of essential equipment and inadequate logistical support.
Speaking to Sporty FM, the veteran coach said the team had not received the competition kits it had been promised before travelling to the event.
“Three of my boxers were using one canvas that belonged to one of the athletes. We had to keep asking her to share it. Sometimes I even had to borrow equipment from coaches of other countries whom I have trained before because there was nothing available for my boxers,” he said.
Asare said the equipment that was supplied was also unsuitable in some cases, with several items either the wrong size or below the standard required for international competition.
That left the coaching and technical staff having to make last-minute adjustments during bouts. In one incident, a boxer risked disqualification because his protective equipment did not fit securely.
The team was forced to use plastic tape to hold the protective gear in place while the fight was in progress.
“If you watch some of the videos, you will see me instructing the boxer while trying to fix the equipment because it was coming off. I had to look for plastic tape to tie it around the protector. It was very painful, but there was nothing I could do,” he said.
The Black Bombers coach said Ghana’s delegation had travelled to the Commonwealth Games expecting the missing equipment to be delivered after their arrival. However, those items never reached the team.
“We were told everything was ready and would be brought to us there. When we arrived, we kept asking for the kits and other items, but they never came. It was very sad.”
Asare also revealed that he used an ink pen to cover worn-out sections of Ghana’s competition vest in an effort to ensure officials allowed the boxers to take part in their bouts.
He described the tournament as one of the most difficult experiences of his coaching career, as the team attempted to compete despite the lack of properly fitting and regulation equipment.
The Black Bombers’ campaign ended with Ghana winning one bronze medal, with Asare pointing to the inadequate preparation and logistical failures as major factors in the disappointing result.
