UOC start year with cash surplus

William Blick says federations must tap into corporate sponsorship.

The newly-elected Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) executive will have an extra Shs168m to spend in their first term of office.
“We have really started on a good note,” UOC president William Blick told Saturday Monitor.

Blick, who was confirmed president unopposed on March 6 after serving in acting capacity for nine months, said the money was saved as a result of financial discipline in the previous year. “We have put in place strict accountability measures,” Blick revealed.

“And we have told federations that if they save some money in a financial year, it must be declared to the assembly.”

Many sports bodies including UOC have for long struggled with financial accountability and securing funding for national teams. Blick is confident his team will change the trend.

“We are putting in place a marketing team to solicit corporate sponsorship. This should be the way to go for every federation affiliated to UOC,” he noted. “But when sponsorship money comes in, accountability must also be emphasised.”

sbashaija@ug.nationmedia.com