Owor, World Rugby official denied entry into Legends

Owor and Harding watch the National 7s from outside the Legends car park on Saturday. Photo by DEUS BUGEMBE

KAMPALA. Ugandan sport has never been short of drama. Saturday was no exception when Uganda Rugby Union (URU) president Andrew Owor and World Rugby’s consultant high performance manager Peter Harding were barred from accessing Legends Rugby Grounds.


Legends was hosting the third leg of the Guinness National Sevens Circuit when Owor and Harding showed up only to be informed by security that there were clear orders from above denying them entry into the facility.
Guiness, the official sponsors were barred from setting up any branded banners and selling points.
“The security at the entrance blocked me from getting in before I asked for reasons,” Owor told Daily Monitor.
“They (security) told me that they had been instructed not to let me in together with any guests. I stepped aside and called the manager.”


Legends manager Eric Malinga did not waste time in heeding Owor’s call by showing up at the entrance.
“I appreciate that Eric came out and spoke to me on how there had been a breakdown in communication between Legends and the Union and he had been advised to enforce the ban,” explained the president.
However when Daily Monitor contacted Malinga, he said he had talked to Owor just like any other individual he talked to that evening and denied knowledge of Owor being denied entry. He also denied having a conversation with the president on why he could not get in.

No idea
“I talked to him just like any other person and I had no idea he had been bounced,” he said.
Owor also finds it disturbing that three days since the incident, Legends is yet to release an official communication addressing how long his ban is to last.
Daily Monitor understands there is bad blood between URU and the Legends management over misunderstandings that led to disagreement in regard to Africa Rugby Sevens Championship hosting rights.
Uganda will host the event on the first weekend of October but no venue has been officially communicated after negotiations between the two parties broke down.


With the Kitaka Memorial Sevens, the final leg of the National Sevens, to be hosted by Betway Kobs on September 16 at Legends, one is left to wonder whether the president will have to once again watch from behind the fence at the official closing ceremony as he did on Saturday.
Or shall we see the last leg moved to another venue?