Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) president, Moses Muhangi has pinned the blame on the Uganda Olympics Committee (UOC) and National Council of Sports (NCS) for boxer Shafic Mawanda’s elimination at the ongoing Olympic qualifiers in Italy.

Muhangi’s attack on the two bodies comes days after flyweight Shafic Mawanda bowed out of the World Olympic Boxing qualifiers in Busto-Arsizio, Italy after failing to turn up in the ring.

He was supposed to face Singapore’s Teo Wei Xuan on March 3 but failed to make it to the competition venue.

The incident damaged not only the bomber’s (The national boxing team) hopes to qualify for the Olympics in France but also the mood within the camp.

Muhangi, who did not travel to Italy, says UOC and NCS are responsible for Mawanda’s shameful exit as they were in charge of the team that traveled without any officials.

“Both UOC and NCS were in charge of the team. They sidelined us in any matter regarding the team’s preparation” Muhangi said.

“It is absurd we had reminded them of how they were taking a team minus any federation official or manager only to turn a deaf ear to us. So what would you expect from a team that traveled in total confusion on top of securing their visas on the last day plus flight delays?”

Bomber’s coach Twaibu Mayanja told New Vision that they arrived late in Italy and missed the first briefing that detailed all the competition rules and regulations.

“We had a flight delay in Rwanda and missed the competition meeting having arrived late. This meeting addressed the hotels, means of transport, and how teams were to access the arena,” he said.

“When we finished the official weighing, our boxers returned to the hotel. Later, we were told Mawanda whose fight was during the mid-day session was meant to remain at the arena. It is how he missed his fight”

However, NCS General Secretary Dr. Patrick Ogwel has hit back at Muhangi whom he accuses of playing politics.

“Any person who puts this blame on us is not sober. From the start, we boldly told UBF that the Government could only allocate six slots for the entire contingent. It was up to them to improvise and sacrifice one coach and take a team manager. They knew we had no money,” Ogwel said.

Four boxers including middleweight Yusuf Nkobeza, light welterweight Joshua Tukamuhebwa and welterweight Emily Nakalema represented Uganda in Italy.

They are under coaches Twaibu Mayanja and Nicholas Bbuule.

On March 4, Nkobeza also bowed out when he lost unanimously to Romania’s Paul Andrei Aradoaie.

By press time, Tukamuhebwa was yet to enter the ring against another Romanian, Robert Jitaru Eusebiu.

Emily Nakalema advanced to the second preliminary having got a bye and will for the third time in different competitions face Cape Verde’s Moreira Ivanusa this Friday.

If the bombers fail to punch their way through the Italy qualifiers to the Paris Olympic games, they will now await the last qualifier in Bangkok Thailand come May this year.