There is only one boxing family
Nov 23, 2008
I SAY SO<br><b>NORMAN KATENDE</b><br><br>For over three months, one of Uganda’s most promising sports discipline –– boxing –– has been marred by counter accusations between the Roger Ddungu led national executive and rebel Uganda Amateur Boxing Clubs Association.
I SAY SO
NORMAN KATENDE
For over three months, one of Uganda’s most promising sports discipline –– boxing –– has been marred by counter accusations between the Roger Ddungu led national executive and rebel Uganda Amateur Boxing Clubs Association.
While sports lovers thought that the meeting between the two parties and state minister Charles Bakkabulindi last week would come up with a solution to the unhealthy wrangles, it instead ended up trying to satisfy different egos.
Yes, both sections have a point which should not be misinterpreted. Ddungu’s call for clubs to have a well laid out organisation and administrative structure and better income generating activity, is good for the game. So are calls for clubs to pay adequate registration fees.
The clubs complaint that there is a general lack of activities and that the constitution is faulty on the term of office of the top executive, needs to be addressed.
However, behind all the scapegoats is that personal egos, where both parties want to show that they have what it takes. This is what is blocking efforts to get a lasting solution.
Yes, Godfrey Nyakana was a former boxer who has a wealth of technical talent to develop the game across the entire country, but one is not sure if he will have the long-term will to invest money in the sport.
While Ddungu was not a boxer in his younger days, he has proved that he can spend some money to develop the game. He single-handedly sponsored a team to the World Championship in Chicago and Africa Championship in Namibia.
So what we need is to get the best out of each of the two leaders, and make them work together if they love the sport.
Let Ddungu be in charge of the federation and the national team, since this is where finances are needed most and then let Nyakana be in charge of the club activities, where hands on technical knowledge might be required.
With this, both parties will be committed to developing boxing and it will be the game to benefit.
NORMAN KATENDE
For over three months, one of Uganda’s most promising sports discipline –– boxing –– has been marred by counter accusations between the Roger Ddungu led national executive and rebel Uganda Amateur Boxing Clubs Association.
While sports lovers thought that the meeting between the two parties and state minister Charles Bakkabulindi last week would come up with a solution to the unhealthy wrangles, it instead ended up trying to satisfy different egos.
Yes, both sections have a point which should not be misinterpreted. Ddungu’s call for clubs to have a well laid out organisation and administrative structure and better income generating activity, is good for the game. So are calls for clubs to pay adequate registration fees.
The clubs complaint that there is a general lack of activities and that the constitution is faulty on the term of office of the top executive, needs to be addressed.
However, behind all the scapegoats is that personal egos, where both parties want to show that they have what it takes. This is what is blocking efforts to get a lasting solution.
Yes, Godfrey Nyakana was a former boxer who has a wealth of technical talent to develop the game across the entire country, but one is not sure if he will have the long-term will to invest money in the sport.
While Ddungu was not a boxer in his younger days, he has proved that he can spend some money to develop the game. He single-handedly sponsored a team to the World Championship in Chicago and Africa Championship in Namibia.
So what we need is to get the best out of each of the two leaders, and make them work together if they love the sport.
Let Ddungu be in charge of the federation and the national team, since this is where finances are needed most and then let Nyakana be in charge of the club activities, where hands on technical knowledge might be required.
With this, both parties will be committed to developing boxing and it will be the game to benefit.