Sports News of Monday, 27 June 2016
Source: Kofi Aduonum
Ambassador Ray Quarcoo
The proverbial ‘To bite the fingers that feeds’ typifies the attitude of WBO African Featherweight champion Isaac Dogbe towards former Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation(GABF) president Ambassador Ray Quarcoo.
Popularly referred to as The Royal Storm, Dogboe has made giant strides in the last few months, attracting the attention and endorsement of former Ghana president John Rawlings recently after his conquest over his Ugandan opponent Edward Kakembo in Accra.
Sadly, however, the boxer has constantly failed on all platforms to acknowledge his backbone-the man who gave him the platform to really discover himself.
An avid boxing fun, who pleaded anonymous, having observed how the boxer started from the scratch said after the fight that “I expected Dogboe to mention Ambassador Ray Quarcoo on the night he acknowledged persons who have contributed to his success story.
“I remember vividly that it was Uncle Ray as we all call him who paid for ticket for his trip to Ghana some few years ago, ensured his inclusion to the national team (Black Bombers) who represented Ghana in the 2012 London Olympics, accommodated and fed him at this Roman Ridge residence.
“Yet he grants interviews all over the place, mention people who have helped him in the past but he wouldn’t mention the former boxing boss.”
Dogboe has an impressive fight record of 14-0-9Kos.
When Ghana was preparing for the 2012 London Olympic Games, Ambassador Ray Quarcoo, then the President of the Ghana Boxing Federation was not so enthused by the standard of the Black Bombers; so he contacted one of his associates, Mr.Amoo Bediako, a London-based Ghanaian boxing coach and owner of a leading boxing gym in the UK, who recommended Ohara Davies, Joshua Buakyi, Isaac Dogboe, Norris Akwei Thompson and his own son, Bediako (Jnr) as good materials.
Without hesitation, through the assistance of the British High Commission in London, Uncle Ray arranged for Ghanaian passports for these young talents and paid for their tickets to join the Black Bombers for a “Justify Your Inclusion” tournament in Accra.
Isaac Dogboe and Norris Akwei Thompson justified and themselves and were selected to join the Bombers in preparation to the African Olympic Qualifiers in Casablanca, Morocco.
Determined to present a formidable team to the 2012 London Olympic Games, Ambassador Quarcoo arranged for a joint training programme with Azerbaijan Olympic team in the capital Baku before the African Olympic Qualifiers in Casablanca, Morocco; where both Isaac Dogboe and Norris Akwei Thompson qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games.