UABF warned of impending ban

By James Bakama

Uganda Olympic Committee has warned that any deviations from efforts to bring normalcy in troubled local amateur boxing body UABF will not be tolerated.

UOC boss Roger Ddungu, mandated by world body AIBA to head the normalisation process, said a review of the constitution as recommended by AIBA must start this week to pave way for elections later this month.

This all follows an AIBA warning that Uganda faces a suspension from the world amateur body’s activities, should the country’s leadership squabbles persist. AIBA directed that a committee led by Ddungu, starts a constitutional review guide by statutes the world body sent last year.

The committee is supposed to comprise of a member of each of the two warring factions, an NCS representative and a lawyer serving as a secretary.

But much as UOC requested all parties to present their representatives a month ago, only the Dr. Ntege Ssengendo group had by yesterday responded.

Ddungu however told a press conference at the UOC offices yesterday that the doors are still open. A faction led by Godfrey Nyakana is against Ddungu heading the committee. They also questioned AIBA’s powers in the local constitutional making process.

AIBA promptly responded by stressing that no boxing federation is currently recognized in Uganda. A visibly angry Ddungu said the actions of Nyakana’s group are not only in bad faith, but also tantamount to formation of a parallel body, which in AIBA statutes, is punishable with a ban.

“I believe that every sane Ugandan would like to see Uganda boxers at the London Olympics.”

Uganda must prepare a team for the April 27 - May 6 qualifiers in Casablanca