FUFA in a fix
Nov 15, 2004
FUFA cannot cancel the controversial L-Sporto deal because a clause in the contract signed in Kigali early this year says that can only be done after Chris Anderson’s company gets a sh207m ($150,000) compensation
By Swalley Kenyi
FUFA cannot cancel the controversial L-Sporto deal because a clause in the contract signed in Kigali early this year says that can only be done after Chris Anderson’s company gets a sh207m ($150,000) compensation.
Despite warnings from across the continent against dealing with sports equipment manufacturers L-Sporto, Federation of Uganda Football Associations officials have vowed to strengthen the ties.
Assistant secretary Zubairi Galiwango, who was specifically sent to sign the deal with L-Sporto in Rwanda, said yesterday they would not abandon their ties with the Italian company.
“The press has said a lot about Anderson and L-Sporto but we are not bothered. As far as we know, he is a genuine dealer. That’s why I drove my own car with my wife to meet him in Kigali (Rwanda) and we agreed on the contract,†Galiwango said.
Galiwango says the Rwandan FA president Caesar Kayizare convinced FUFA to sign the contract because they also had a similar fruitful deal with Anderson.
L-Sporto got into the news recently when they called off a much-publicised four-nations tournament. The company had promised to bring Iraq and Liberia to Kampala but the minister in charge of sports Henry Oryem queried the tournament’s financing, forcing Anderson to call it off.
The L-Sporto deal, said to be worth $1m allows the marketing company to dress Cranes for four years.
This in return for allowing L-Sporto sell all national replica kit, to use the Cranes to advertise, and to be advertising agents for the national soccer teams.
“Our contract with him says that we only avail him with the national team for advertising his equipment,†said Galiwango, who received a donation of 21 cartons of training kit from L-Sporto yesterday.
FUFA cannot cancel the controversial L-Sporto deal because a clause in the contract signed in Kigali early this year says that can only be done after Chris Anderson’s company gets a sh207m ($150,000) compensation.
Despite warnings from across the continent against dealing with sports equipment manufacturers L-Sporto, Federation of Uganda Football Associations officials have vowed to strengthen the ties.
Assistant secretary Zubairi Galiwango, who was specifically sent to sign the deal with L-Sporto in Rwanda, said yesterday they would not abandon their ties with the Italian company.
“The press has said a lot about Anderson and L-Sporto but we are not bothered. As far as we know, he is a genuine dealer. That’s why I drove my own car with my wife to meet him in Kigali (Rwanda) and we agreed on the contract,†Galiwango said.
Galiwango says the Rwandan FA president Caesar Kayizare convinced FUFA to sign the contract because they also had a similar fruitful deal with Anderson.
L-Sporto got into the news recently when they called off a much-publicised four-nations tournament. The company had promised to bring Iraq and Liberia to Kampala but the minister in charge of sports Henry Oryem queried the tournament’s financing, forcing Anderson to call it off.
The L-Sporto deal, said to be worth $1m allows the marketing company to dress Cranes for four years.
This in return for allowing L-Sporto sell all national replica kit, to use the Cranes to advertise, and to be advertising agents for the national soccer teams.
“Our contract with him says that we only avail him with the national team for advertising his equipment,†said Galiwango, who received a donation of 21 cartons of training kit from L-Sporto yesterday.