Bakkabulindi returns ‘drawing board’ after Rio failure

Kampala.

A drawing board! Heard of it in Ugandan sports? 
Well, it is back with greater verve after State Minister for Sports Charles Bakkabulindi attacked critics following the country’s shortfalls at the just concluded Rio Olympics.

“We are going to go back to the drawing board and look at venturing into new sports like javelin which we had ignored,” Bakkabulindi said after officially launching the All-Africa Pool Championships (AAPC) yesterday. “People who have won gold medals do not only focus on the traditional sports alone,” appearing imperious, he retorted as journalists cornered him. “That’s what we call going back on the drawing board.”

The gist of this press conference had faded the moment he had stood up to speak. 

This was a moment Bakkabulindi had prepared for. “Next time when you are inviting the press, make sure the so-called media consultants are invited,” he told Pool Association of Uganda officials.

“.... because they seem to be knowing everything and understanding nothing. Yes, I have heard comments on radios that the team did not win in Brazil. That there was no this, there was no this, government didn’t do this...”

“They say the minister should come out and resign but you must know the role of a minister in such a competition and know where he stops and where he starts.”

By the time he walked to unveil the new AAPC tournament logo due November 1-5, the minds of many were far from pool. “It was unfortunate that we could not win but that cannot stop us from welcoming back our boys. May be they were more prepared more than us,” said Bakka.