USSSA: All Bunyoro representatives banned for massive cheating, Busoga pending

Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) has partly overturned a decision by the Bunyoro zonal leadership not to present any schools to the national boys’ football championship.

Bunyoro delivered a radical ruling last week to bar any of their schools that reached the semi-finals of the zonal qualifiers from representing the region.

The four schools, St. Adolf Tibeyalirwa SS, Masindi Army, Masindi SS and Panyadoli SS were all found guilty of using non-bonafide players in their qualifiers.

USSSA has agreed with the regional body on disqualifying the four schools but overruled that the three slots be contested by the four losing quarterfinalists after a thorough eligibility test.

“The National Committee has reviewed the Bunyoro decision and come up with the following guidance,”USSSA chief executive officer Christopher Mugisha announced in a statement.

“The punishment be directed at the four offending schools and not all the schools in the zone; the disqualification of all the semi-finalists for using non-bona fide players be upheld; and the losing quarter finalists be invited for a mini tournament to select the three representatives of Bunyoro Zone,” Mugusha directed.

The four schools to contest for the slots include Buhimba SS, St. Maliko High, Kabalega SS and Kitara SS.

Busoga pending

In Busoga, Jinja SSS once again reclaimed their lost glory after emerging champions of the region after beating Jinja Comprehensive 3-2 in post-match penalty kicks that followed a 1-1 stalemate.

The Busoga regional finals were played at Bukooli College.

The Jinja City champions, Jinja Comprehensive and Lakeside Secondary School Masese have qualified to represent the region at the nationals. However, the regional body was yet to solve a pending petition by Jinja Progressive (Jipra) against Tawheed Institution.

Jipra filed the petition on Tawheed for alleged use of mercenaries after their 3-2 loss in penalty shootouts during the quarterfinals.  Tawheed went on to lose to Jinja Comprehensive in the semis.

The quarters were marred with more controversies after Busalamu SS from Luuka district abandoned their match against Comprehensive sighting biasness in officiating and administration of the games.

The zonal tournament organisers had initially resolved not to entertain any more petitions beyond the round of sixteen.

Jinja SSS and Bunya won the tickets to represent in the Fresh Diary girls' finals.

USSSA regional qualifiers

Busoga zone (boys) – Jinja SSS, Jinja Comprehensive & Lakeside Masese

Girls - Jinja SSS & Bunya SS

Bugisu zone (boys) - Nkoma SS, Sironko Parents & Mbale Progressive

Girls - Highway SS & Nkoma SS

Bukedi zone (boys) - High Light SS, Alliance High School & Tororo Progressive

Girls - St. Peters Amusala & Asinge SS