Players paying price of NCS-UNF feud

Amid an action packed year where the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF)  will obviously need more money to participate in local and international competitions, president Sarah Babirye Kityo is not about to drop allegations of unfairness, bribery and inappropriate funding against  the National Council of Sports (NCS).

This leaves a lot to ask for a sport that for long has been basically relying on government funding to run most of their activities now that the NCS is not willing to fund them, before they properly account for the 2021 Africa Netball Championships funds.

Babirye says she well accounted for the Shs186m received from the NCS and refuses to account for any amount beyond what they received.

UNF had a budget of Shs425m for She Cranes’ participation in the Pent Series and Africa Championships in Windhoek, Namibia.

NCS provided air tickets worth Shs127m for 27 people and money worth Shs186m for the event but NCS accused Babirye of never accounting for the tickets purchased by the sports governing body.

 Uganda will have to fork out 5000 dollars more than Shs18m - a fine imposed on UNF for missing the African Netball Federation last year, before they are deemed suitable to participate in the World Cup come July this year.

This excludes costs of world cup preparations, planned friendlies, under-15 Netball Fast Five as well as hosting this year’s Africa Netball Championships who’s date is yet to be announced.

This leaves the netball federation in a corner as their feud with the NCS concerning reimbursement of funds is not about to get over.

Earlier the chairman NCS Ambrose Tashobya  in a press briefing said the sports governing body is aware that netball needs to prepare for the World Cup but there is no way they will be given funds unless they properly account for the 2021 Africa Netball Championships money.

“We have money on account to help netball  even right now, even in the situation we are in when there is not much money,  we know we have the world cup upon us but the challenge is how do you? This is within their mandate to account,” he said.

The General Secretary of NCS Bernard Ogwel accuses the netball federation of defrauding the government as the Namibia government was supporting full board expenses for 17 members of the netball delegation.

Babirye calls them false accusations.

“Ogwel  says the Namibia government paid the expenses, this is not true. If it was so, then why did he buy us the air tickets? Let the IGG and other investigators go to Namibia or any other country that took part in the competition and find out whether it is true,” she said.

However Babirye says they will find ways be it begging and soliciting from well wishers to accomplish their targets this year.