Olympics: IOC endorses UOC executive

By Johnson Were

 The Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) executive led by interim president William Blick can now prepare the team to the Olympics well assured of its participation in the event due next month in London, UK.

This is after the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the International Olympic Committee acknowledged and approved the eligibility of the current UOC executive.

 In the IOC letter dated June 8 and addressed to UOC acting head, Blick and the secretary general of UOC Peninah Kabenge, the IOC-NOC relations director urged them to concentrate on team preparation.

“Based on the documents which we have received, the IOC and ANOCA hereby take note of the outcome and results of this Extraordinary General Assembly of May 19 2012,” part of the letter signed by Pere Miro the IOC-NOC relations director read.

“In line with our previous communication to all members of the Executive Committee of your NOC [National Olympic Committee], we hope that your NOC can now focus fully and entirely on the preparation of your athletes and your delegation for the Olympic Games,” he added.

The letter was also signed by ANOCA President, Intendant General Lassana Palenfo who urged them in future to ensure unity and harmony within the committee.

Last month, UOC-affiliated federations in the assembly held at Kati-Kati banned the then-president Roger Hanns Ddungu and invoked Article19 that empowers the first vice president to take full charge of office.

At the time, Blick was the vice president of the Committee and later took charge, provisionally, after Ddungu’s ban from the helm of the national Olympics body.

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Meanwhile, Kabenge and Handball Association secretary, Hannington Musoke have been summoned by Police CID to face investigations of forgery.

Kabenge and Musoke were meant to report to the CID at Kampala metropolitan, Central Police Station last Friday at 10am before Deputy CPL Mbiro but they expressed their preference for this Wednesday.

“Yes Ddungu decided to take another channel but we have instructed our lawyer to handle the matter,” a UOC official confirmed the development.