Government fails to solve league paradox

Soccer. Despite ruling that it will be only one league next season, both FSL and USL action will go on till the end of the current campaign, whose credibility is in tatters.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Of course novelist and journalist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr hardly had sports administration in mind when he said this.

But in Uganda’s tumultuous football times, just how appropriate the late Frenchman’s words!

In an effort to solve the impasse that has seen the country run two rival leagues – the Uganda Super League (USL) and Fufa Super League (FSL) - last December, Education and Sports Minister Jessica Alupo directed that the two must be one by January 31, 2013. The ministry Permanent Secretary, Francis Lubanga, was tasked to enforce that role.

But when Alupo and her team met USL clubs invited as per the Jinja Declaration in a final consultative meeting yesterday before the recommendations are tabled before Cabinet, it was 33 days (34 today) since the January 31 deadline.

The anxious general public’s understanding was ‘this is the time now for government to make a radical decision, say, both leagues stop and a new one starts.’

But alas! “We have resolved that the current leagues go on and complete their season,” said Alupo after three hours of meeting with club directors. “We also resolved that the new (next) season shall have one league and with sponsors. We shall take the six resolutions, to which clubs have signed, to Cabinet next Wednesday, and Cabinet will pronounce itself on the whole matter regarding football management in the country.

“And we resolved that government will have the final authority on a final decision in this matter and all parties must abide.”

More deadlines
The Cabinet decision will also include legality of Fufa, among others, according to Alupo. The minister, who – from January 31 – now says FSL and USL should have merged by June, defended letting the two leagues continue running.

“The Solicitor General advised us that since there are contractual obligations involved, we let the two leagues finish the season. Some clubs also argued that they have invested a lot already.” But who then will be champions of the current season? “That’s one of complex issues to be decided by Cabinet,” she said.

What does this mean for the USL sponsors now? “At first, we were not recognised by government,” said Kavuma Kabenge, USL chairman.

“But in saying we play on till we are one league means government now recognises us. We shall communicate this to our sponsors Bell and SuperSport and continue honouring our obligations.”

The gridlock that many hoped would be summarily resolved continues. The vagueness of the verdict leaves a cloud of dust on a vastly forgettable season of the beautiful game.

************************************************************************************

PROPOSED FOR THE CABINET