Communities are true basis of sporting glory

Feb 17, 2008

OPINION<br><br>Last week, the Ministry of Education and Sports held a sports stakeholders workshop to review the national sports policy at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.

OPINION

By Norman Katende

Last week, the Ministry of Education and Sports held a sports stakeholders workshop to review the national sports policy at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.

During the one-day conference, that saw presentations from renown administrators like Baker Magunda (sponsors), Byaruhanga Kadodooba, Fagil Mandy, Peninah Kabenge and Dan Tamwesigire, it is patently clear that the causes of the disease that has led to the nation’s absymal performance in sports has been dissected and its causes understood.

However, what remains is the cure that will take the country back to the glorious sports days of the 1970s.

Though the stakeholders came up with different remedies, which they passed, we must note that it takes more than just solutions on paper for a change to be effected.
Dedication and hard-work should be involved, and this calls for all the different stakeholders to back the rhetoric with action.

Countries that have excelled in different sports disciplines — like cricket in India, table tennis in China, football in Brazil and athletics in Kenya — have all embarked on projects that have seen these sports taken to the communities and made part and parcel of their lives.

Here, these countries have made the community believe that sports is not strictly about professionalism but a way of life. But as many embrace it, so sport invariably grows and success follows in the future.

Hopefully, the ministry is listening about this.

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