Ghana Boxing Association (GBA) president, Peter Zwennes, says boxer Patrick Allotey is fortunate to be handed only six months ban.
The former WBO Africa Super Welterweight champion has been handed a six months ban by the country’s boxing authority for assaulting a football fan.
Mr Allotey in an interview with Asempa FM admitted his was wrong and pleaded on authorities to reduce his ban.
WBC international boxing judge, Atta Eddie Pappoe, has also waded into the discussion suggesting that Mr Allotey’s ban must be reduced to two months.
According to him, he could stage two bouts which will aid him to challenge for a world title.
However, Mr Zwennes said if the GBA had applied its strictest sanctions, Mr Allotey would have faced an indefinite suspension or possibly lose his boxing license.
“There were issues of misconduct. Boxers have to comport themselves in and out of the ring and not bring the game into disrepute. That kind of conduct which has criminal connotations aside civil liability certainly brings the game into disrepute,” he told Citi Sports.
“He admitted his own guilt in this matter and he made a plea for leniency. We took all those issues into account. He’s not one of the undisciplined boxers we have so I don’t know what came over him but it happened. If we had to stretch the limits of the law he might have had an indefinite suspension or a revocation of his license.
“We took all his extenuating circumstances into consideration before handing him the six months sanction which I think is fair.”
Mr Allotey, 26, was captured on video assaulting a fan who had been identified as Michael Siaw at the Accra Sports Stadium during the match-day six fixture between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.
Mr Siaw suffered a deep cut at the left side of his eye. Mr Allotey, however, has apologised to the victim.
On Monday, January 10, an Accra Circuit Court granted him GH¢ 100,000.00 bail.
