The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, has pledged to implement the findings of a committee established to investigate the tragic death of Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju, who died during a professional bout at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra.

Speaking to the media after receiving the committee’s final report, Mr Adams praised the team for submitting their findings within the allotted timeframe and reiterated the government’s resolve to address any lapses that may have contributed to the incident.

“Life is precious, and the incident that happened was unfortunate, but it serves as a call to be able to reform things,” Mr Adams stated. “The Ministry has received the report, and we will study it and make sure that we implement the findings because we took time to select the people with experience to serve on the committee.”

He expressed confidence that the findings would provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding the boxer’s death, adding, “I have no doubt that the time and energy spent on the findings will bring out the true turn of events and that nothing will be hidden.”

The Sports Minister also used the occasion to caution sports federations and associations to adhere strictly to safety protocols and established procedures when organising tournaments, stressing that athlete welfare must always be prioritised.

“I hope this will serve as a lesson to other federations and not just boxing,” he said. “This is a wake-up call for associations and federations to do the right thing and follow the laid-down procedures in organising events.”

The committee was chaired by Major (Retired) Amarkai Amarteifio, who described the incident as “unfortunate” but noted that it should act as a catalyst for reform across the sporting landscape.

“Boxing has done so much to raise the country’s image, and we are among the best in the world. But sadly enough, we can’t say the same for now, and the reasons are quite obvious,” Major Amarteifio remarked.

He added that the report offers a “unique platform to address the pressing problems of sports, not only boxing,” and called for urgent reforms to protect athletes’ lives and uphold sporting standards in Ghana.

The committee included a diverse group of experts: former Ghana Boxing Authority president and legal practitioner Peter Zwennes; veteran sports journalist and boxing historian Ekow Asmah; legal experts Samuel Bartels and Juliana Addo-Yobo; seasoned boxing referee Eddie Pappoe; and sports medicine specialist Dr Martin Engmann.

Their work, according to Major Amarteifio, reflects a commitment to athlete safety and offers a blueprint for change across Ghana’s sporting fraternity. The Ministry is expected to announce follow-up actions after reviewing the report’s recommendations.