‘I Allowed Them Stay’

Aug 21, 2002

SOME of the nine sportsmen and women — three weightlifters, three table tennis players, two shooters and one boxer— who did not return from Manchester with the team on August 7, got the permission of state sports minister Henry Okello Oryem to stay be

By Norman KatendeSOME of the nine sportsmen and women — three weightlifters, three table tennis players, two shooters and one boxer— who did not return from Manchester with the team on August 7, got the permission of state sports minister Henry Okello Oryem to stay behind.Oryem, the team’s head of delegation who returned last week, defended those who stayed behind. There was however no coherent explanation from the team’s leaders about the whereabouts of the nine when the team returned.Okello told The New Vision yesterday that some athletes informed him of their intentions of staying in Manchester for two more weeks, which he granted. “I gave them a go ahead provided they wrote an application to me and extend their visas,” said Okello.The actual number of athletes who applied to stay behind, and a copy of their letters, could not be got from him however.He said the Ugandans were much more disciplined than other athletes. “The entire Tanzania boxing team and Pakistan and Indian swimmers just disappeared from their officials,” he said.The shooters have returned, but, boxer Dennis Mwanje, table tennis players Monica Kisakye, Paul Mutambuze and Andrew Gitta plus weightlifters Rashid Lubega, Salim Balinya and Harriet Namusoke have not reported back.Ugandan officials said the weightlifters stayed behind for training and competition. Their coach Ali Kavuma is back in the country.As for the shooters, the minister said that he had scrapped them off the list but UOC reinstated them.Ends

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