CHIMPREPORTS
The Uganda senior men’s national basketball team (Silverbacks) has withdrawn from the upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers first window due to take place in Angola form 26th – 28th.
The move is seen as a huge embarrassment for the government which has for long claimed to be determined to promote sports in the country.
A statement issued by Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (FUBA) president Nasser Sserunjogi this Tuesday confirmed that government, through National Council of Sports has no money to support the team for this particular campaign.
“The Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (FUBA) on a very sad note wishes to inform you that the senior Men’s national Basketball team (the Silverbacks) will not compete at the FIBA World cup qualifiers window 1 in Benguela (Angola) from 26th to 28th of November 2021,” reads part of the statement from FUBA.
The Silverbacks needed approximately USD 100,000 (Shs.380m) to make the trip to Angola for this particular campaign but pulls out on account of lack of funding.
“FUBA was informed by Government of Uganda through National Council of Sports (NCS) that there was no money to support the team for this particular campaign. The team needed approximately 380 million to make the trip.”
The Silverbacks had already embarked on preparations for the qualifiers with the home-based camped at the African Bible study in Lubowa for a residential training camp since Friday 12th November.
Having finished a respectable sixth position at the 2021 AfroBasket tournament in Kigali- Rwanda, the Silverbacks were grouped alongside Mali, Cape Verde and Nigeria for this qualification campaign.
Observers say the development will not only demoralise the basketball stars who hoped to shine on the international stage but also gradually kill the country’s sports industry.
“It is a national shame that Uganda can’t facilitate its basketball players to continue taking part in a major sports championship,” said Moses Ariho, a sports fanatic in Kampala.
Potential
FUBA said after finishing 6th overall in the Afrobasketball, the team had a Genuine chance to be among the top 5 on the continent and make it to the FIBA World Cup for the first time in Uganda’s history.
A one Nabimanya Tweeted: “This is sad with all the Ugandan money that is eaten and we can’t afford to sponsor our team. This is unacceptable.”
By missing the qualifiers, government is losing an opportunity to market Uganda’s brand on the international scene.
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 achieved record-breaking results with a TV audience reach of over 3 billion and generated a further 1.5 billion video views on social media ensuring the flagship event secured more global coverage than ever before.
FIBA teamed up with over 70 broadcast partners to deliver coverage in 190 territories, resulting in a total cumulative average TV audience increase of over 80% compared to the last World Cup in 2014. The final alone had a total global reach of 160 million.
Such coverage promotes the country’s brand and attracts foreign direct investment and tourists.
source https://perilofafrica.com/2021/11/scandal-as-ugandas-national-basketball-withdraw-from-world-cup-qualifiers-over-funds.html