Swimmers release 2021 calendar after Covid-19 SOPs frustrations

MAKHTUM MUZIRANSA

KAMPALA- Uganda Swimming Federation (USF) are intent on following through with their programmes for 2021 after the leadership shared their draft calendar with members on Saturday.

Swimming competitions are expected to resume in February with the nation-al team taking part in the Cana Zone IV Championships. This precisely means that eligible swimmers should already be intensifying their preparations.

Going by President Museveni’s televised address in September, this should be no problem as he gave a go-ahead for sport to emerge from the Coronavirus lockdown that was imposed in March.

Unfortunately, for our largely amateur sports setting, the requirement to test athletes every two weeks has slowed down the resumption of sporting activities, including swimming.

Swimming coaches are riding on Nation-al Council of Sports (NCS)’s categorisation of their sport as low risk in the spread of Covid-19, and World Health Organisation (WHO) director of the Department of Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness Dr Syl-vie Briand’s assertion that: “water cannot transmit Covid-19.

 And if you swim in a swimming pool or in a pond, you cannot get Covid-19 through water,” to push for the regulation on tests to be eased.

However, Briand also added that: “What can happen if you go to a swimming pool, which is crowded and if you are close to other the people and if someone is infect-ed, then you can be of course affected.”

KEY DATES

February 25-28: Cana Zone Iv Championships

March 6:National Primary schools Gala

March 27:National secondary schools Gala

May 22: masters Gala

June 24-27:National Championships

August 14: National open Water Championships

August 27: Fina aquatics days

October 9-10: Independence Gala

October 16:National Water Polo Championships

November 6:sprints Gala

November 17-21:Cana Zone III Championship