Games, sports locked down again!

Contest: Express’ Mahad Kakooza (L) vies for the ball with Wakiso’s Alex Komakech recently. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE

What you need to know:

  • Agony: Since the directives take immediate effect, those preparing for the Olympics,  Afrobasket, Victoria Cricket Series,  national team sessions and the Futsal League will feel the immediate impact.

On Friday night, President Yowei Museveni kicked games and sports into another lockdown – just about nine months after he had allowed the sector to rise from the ruins.

Sport was first suspended in March 2020 to curb the spread of the first wave of Covid-19 leaving many stakeholders hugely affected. But as the country showed signs of recovery, there was a lot of lobbying from sports leaders that eventually culminated into the lifting of the suspension later in September.

“The churches, mosques and sports sessions are congregating settings and are a source that fuels rapid virus transmission,” the President said in Friday’s televised address before dropping the bombshell: “All places of worship and sports events remain suspended for 42 days.” Since the directives take immediate effect, those preparing for the Olympics,

Afrobasket, Victoria Women Cricket Series and the Futsal League will feel the immediate impact.

Feeling lucky

Five members of the Olympic team left for a training camp in Japan on Friday and it might help that some athletes are out of the country. Those within will probably have to negotiate a training schedule with the authorities.

Meanwhile in futsal, the league final between Big Talent and Park that was slated for today at midday cannot happen in the foreseeable future. “In the interest of Public Health and for the safety of the futsal community, following the directive of the President…, all FAU competitions are hereby postponed till further notice,” Moses Wantimba, the futsal body’s communication and public relations officer, said in a statement released almost immediately after the speech.

The National Hockey League was also on the cards today but will have to wait. In football, Fufa might be forced to revoke the ‘force majeure’ rule, where if 75% of the league has been played then the league can be ‘sportingly’ concluded.

Eagles are champs in waiting
Teams have played either 27 or 26 games meaning they have exceeded the 23-matches played requirement to evoke the rule. If Fufa follow through, Express will soon be dusting their trophy cabinet to receive their first title in nine years.Kyetume, Myda and Kitara will also drop to the Fufa Big League.

Also among those that have to drop their plans are the Silverbacks , who had tested on Thursday in preparation to travel to Morocco to train for the Afrobasket qualifiers.

Uganda Netball Federation had called off the league pending vaccination and will now have to wait longer for a restart while Uganda Swimming Federation, which had just released the dates for the national championships (September 3-5), might have to shelve the competition again. 

 Some affected sporting events
Olympic preps
Uganda Premier League
Victoria Women Cricket Series
Afrobasket preps
Futsal Final
National Hockey League
Stanbic Uganda Cup
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