Razak Abugri, Ghana’s sole medal winner at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Scotland, has highlighted inexperience as the reason why he could not fare better in the Men’s Judo event.
Abugri, who picked up the medal after defeating Mozambique’s Neuso Sigauque, in the 60kg bronze-medal match, said in interview with the Ghana Olympic Committee’s Media outfit that he could have gone for gold if the requisite experience has been there when he went into the quarter finals.
“Winning the medal was not easy because I had to use all that I knew based on the game plan and the preparations. However, in my second fight, I lost because of a lack of experience.
I have not been going to enough tournaments to build me up so I could not do much against my opponent (Daniel Le Grange from South Africa).”
The judoka, who is an electrician by profession, is looking at the forward and he has plans of making to the Olympics in 2016 but he has called on the state to provide the needed funds so that there could better means of getting ready for major tournaments.
“I am looking forward to the Olympics but the country must sponsor me to do that. The chairman of the Ghana Judo Association, Emmanuel Tetteh, has worked hard and he is always eager to put in a lot of effort for me to do well.
What I want is funding to purchase plane tickets and other things so I can participate in the various qualification tournaments and make it to the Olympics.”
Meanwhile, one of Abugri’s team-mates, Emmanuel Nortey has been expelled from the team after gross indiscipline towards the Deputy Sports Minister Vincent Oppong Asamoah and other team officials on Sunday after receiving his allowances.
He claimed he was due a reimbursement of expenses he had incurred but the officials also stated that he did not present evidence or receipts of the said expenses.
He was said to have verbally abused the Deputy Sports Minister and the officials but he refused to apologise despite being prompted by his team-mates thus the expulsion from the camp.
His accreditation for the Games has since been withdrawn.
By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana