Silverbacks in World Cup Qualifiers Chaos

Uganda’s start to the Fiba Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers in November 2021 was highlighted by ill preparations and late arrival in Angola.

It is the same story as the qualifiers come to an end this weekend in the same country.

Back then, Robinson Opong missed the team’s first game in Benguela because he was still in transit as Uganda fell to Mali.

Brandon Davies and Emmanuel Womala only met the rest of the team in the hotel lobby on the way to the stadium.

This time round, the team is expected to arrive just a few hours to the clash with hosts Angola, with only a handful of players to save face and avoid forfeiting.

By the time of filing this story, the Silverbacks team, consisting 10 locally based players, one coach and a physio was still in Kampala waiting to fly out late in the night.

Uganda will face Angola on Friday, then take on Côte d'Ivoire on Saturday and Guinea on Sunday.

The games will not help Uganda progress to the Fiba Basketball World Cup. Certainly not.

The team, with a dismal 1-7 record, is already out and cannot be among the top five teams on the continent to join the rest of the world in Japan, Philippines and Indonesia for the global showpiece.

While Uganda cannot progress to the World Cup, there are repercussions associated with forfeiting games, and that meant Fuba had to find a way of sending a team for the last three games of the qualifiers.

Ramifications for forfeiting include a Fiba ban and fines on top of a tainted image in the future.

With the games showing on television, Fiba cannot afford to have forfeited games and was in talks with Fuba to find a quick solution.

Preparation for major competitions remains elusive for George Galanopolous’ charges and this is just another one of those.

Fiba Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers

Fixtures 

Friday: Uganda vs. Angola

Saturday: Côte d'Ivoire vs. Uganda

Sunday: Uganda vs. Guinea