UOC defends Bombers team to Dakar

The six boxers who flew to Dakar, Senegal on Tuesday for the Africa Olympic Qualifiers starting Saturday, were the best possible team, under the circumstances, Uganda Olympic Committee’s Moses Mwase, told the press.

The Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) on August 23 withdrew its involvement in the preparations accusing the UOC of disregarding its role in the selection process, most notably including ‘rebels’ Musa Shadir Bwogi and David Ssemuju on the provisional list, ignoring several boxers on UBF’s long list.

Ssemuju did not make the final list to Dakar but his Tokyo 2020 teammate Bwogi got the nod to seek a second Olympic appearance.

The UOC accused UBF for failing to submit all the boxers’ biodata before the July 28 deadline, forcing the UOC to work with the few boxers whose documents were available. UBF president Moses Muhangi refuted the claims in his August 23 protest letter.

When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned the International Boxing Association (IBA) in June, it gave the Boxing Unit the mandate to prepare boxers for Paris 2024.

Muhangi was equally concerned that the government through the National Council of Sports did not fund the build-up, which would have included elimination trials, a residential camp, among others. Eventually, the Bombers camped for only four days at Kavumba Recreation Grounds in Wakiso. Kenya camped in Cuba for weeks.

Nevertheless, upon the abrupt flagoff at the UOC in Lugogo, Mwase, Uganda’s head of mission of the Paris 2024 Olympics, expressed confidence in the team.

“I was not part of the selection committee but I believe what we have is the best possible team for Uganda,” Mwase said, explaining how Bwogi, initially listed as a reserve in the 80kg category, was preferred to Idris Mukiibi, the main boxer.

“We had several meetings and conversations among UOC, UBF and NCS. There were mistakes but not on our part. But that’s water under the bridge. Now the focus should be on supporting this team to perform the task.”

Only the seven gold medalists will qualify for Paris 2024 among men, while Grace Nankinga, the only woman on the team, must be among the 11 finalists. After 2004, no Uganda boxer has reached an Olympic qualifying final.

“The team has some experience. Some have been to the Commonwealth and the Olympics, except two. Which I think can promise a good performance,” Mwase said, parodying Coach Lawrence Kalyango's belief.

“The ideal would be having the team in the camp for say three weeks or a month for them to gel better. But conditions are always never perfect. So you do what you can in a particular situation.”

BOMBERS TO DAKAR

MEN

Shafik Mawanda (51kg), Jonah Kyobe (57kg), Joshua Tukamuhebwa (63.5kg), Isaac Zebra Ssenyange (71kg), Musa Shadir Bwogi (80kg)

WOMEN

Grace Nankinga (50kg)

COACHES

Lawrence Kalyango, Hassan Khalil Mukungu, Mercy Mukankusi

OFFICIALS

Simon Barigo, Michelle Nakkazi, Jordan Bamwesigye, James Kasumba