FUFA manipulatable!
THE soccer fraternity was for a month kept guessing as to when the report of the probe into the rot in Ugandan football would be released.
By James Bakama
THE soccer fraternity was for a month kept guessing as to when the report of the probe into the rot in Ugandan football would be released.
The probe was initially expected to last 30 days but its term was extended to two and a half months.
The uncertainty was put to rest on Monday when the Stephen Kavuma led committee produced the report.
But even on the day of the report’s release, there was evidence of the committee’s frantic operations.
The hand over at Lugogo was delayed for three hours. Kavuma attributed the lag to technological encumbrances. After apologising for the delay, he stressed that the lateness had nothing to do with any ulterior moves like doctoring the contents of the report.
Somehow Kavuma’s apologies did not seem to matter for the several stakeholders at Lugogo. What seemed more important was that the long awaited document was finally out.
So, what exactly was in this 47-page document, which many view as the first step in a renaissance of Ugandan football.
Firstly, the areas that the committee was supposed to scrutinise were: management of National Football League Committee (NFLC) and its methods of work. Clubs, officials and other stakeholders including players, coaches and referees were also to be examined.
Other areas assigned to the committee were activities of the press and their contribution to the crisis and the FUFA administration.
After extensive consultations, interviews and literature review, the committee was able to classify the crisis in these categories: legal and regulatory framework; management and administration of football; organisation and management of financial and physical resources and lastly marketing and public relations.
Among the first areas that the committee analysed were 210 matches of which the focus was on the chaos in the league’s last 15 games.
In the controversial match where SC Villa beat Akol 22-1, the committee recommends the banning of referee Muzafar Ziraba. NFLC on its part suspended Ziraba for six months and banned many Akol players for two years.
The probe was also against NFLC’s award of three points and two goals to the Jogoos. They insist that articles 32 and 36 of NFLC’s rules should have been invoked meaning nullification of the match with no points awarded on top of a ban for Ziraba.
The committee has no complaints about Express being awarded three points in their match against Top TV that the former abandoned. It’s noted that punishment meted out to Top TV should include loss of gate collection and a fine of sh1m.
The committee however recommends that NFLC must in this case be blamed for fraud and unjustified victimisation of Top TV.
It was also found that similar scandals also plagued the Kakungulu Cup.
The FUFA general assembly was found to be too large, easily manipulatable especially by the executive.
The report also revealed that a large section of spectators had lost interest in Ugandan football because of hooliganism, allegations of match fixing and lack of display of talent and competitiveness by clubs. Hooligans, the probe found out, are difficult to track because of lack of fans’ registration.
The committee also noted that much as article 17 of the NFLC rules vests the powers of referee selection in the Referees Standing Committee of FUFA, the executive has usurped these powers.
The issue of referees’ quality was also raised. “Referees are paid a mere sh15,000 to 20,000 which falls far below the allowances for a gate keeper ,†notes the report.
The committee wondered why second and third grade referees became the main actors in the arena.
It was found that management of the FUFA Referees Standing Committee was based on favours and not competence. Technical ability had been compromised for opportunism.
The report cites this as the reason for the emergence of the “Arrow Group†referees.
Other findings
*Coaches sidelined
*No minimum standards for clubs
*Poor relationship between the media and FUFA because the former exposed the rot in the former.
*FUFA not marketed the game.
*FUFA failed to cultivate a healthy relationship with sponsors, ie. . breached a contract with its only sponsor, Nile Breweries.
*KKL given as a contrast; attracted numerous sponsors because of being organised. KKL and FOF were commended.
*NCS Act of 1964 has not caused effective supervision. There is insufficient govt. participation in sports.
* FUFA executives usurped NFLC duties to fraudulently engage in running the league instead of being policy makers and supervisors.
* No provisions in FUFA’s 2002-3 regulations for punishing league owners and administrators.
*League fixtures constantly tampered — undermining competition.
*NFLC incompetent; club allegiances and conflict of interest.
Recommendations
*Football commission be urgently established to administer and arrange the establishment of a new infrastructure for the management of football. Should include a technical adviser from FIFA.
*Uganda withdraws from all international competitions except Nations/World Cup qualifiers.
*Review legal framework of NCS and FUFA.
*Implementation of the IGG’s report on management of funds.
* Appoint a professional team to manage NSSL and NFLC.
*Cancellation of the 2003 NSSL, Kakungulu Cup and first division competitions.
THE soccer fraternity was for a month kept guessing as to when the report of the probe into the rot in Ugandan football would be released.
The probe was initially expected to last 30 days but its term was extended to two and a half months.
The uncertainty was put to rest on Monday when the Stephen Kavuma led committee produced the report.
But even on the day of the report’s release, there was evidence of the committee’s frantic operations.
The hand over at Lugogo was delayed for three hours. Kavuma attributed the lag to technological encumbrances. After apologising for the delay, he stressed that the lateness had nothing to do with any ulterior moves like doctoring the contents of the report.
Somehow Kavuma’s apologies did not seem to matter for the several stakeholders at Lugogo. What seemed more important was that the long awaited document was finally out.
So, what exactly was in this 47-page document, which many view as the first step in a renaissance of Ugandan football.
Firstly, the areas that the committee was supposed to scrutinise were: management of National Football League Committee (NFLC) and its methods of work. Clubs, officials and other stakeholders including players, coaches and referees were also to be examined.
Other areas assigned to the committee were activities of the press and their contribution to the crisis and the FUFA administration.
After extensive consultations, interviews and literature review, the committee was able to classify the crisis in these categories: legal and regulatory framework; management and administration of football; organisation and management of financial and physical resources and lastly marketing and public relations.
Among the first areas that the committee analysed were 210 matches of which the focus was on the chaos in the league’s last 15 games.
In the controversial match where SC Villa beat Akol 22-1, the committee recommends the banning of referee Muzafar Ziraba. NFLC on its part suspended Ziraba for six months and banned many Akol players for two years.
The probe was also against NFLC’s award of three points and two goals to the Jogoos. They insist that articles 32 and 36 of NFLC’s rules should have been invoked meaning nullification of the match with no points awarded on top of a ban for Ziraba.
The committee has no complaints about Express being awarded three points in their match against Top TV that the former abandoned. It’s noted that punishment meted out to Top TV should include loss of gate collection and a fine of sh1m.
The committee however recommends that NFLC must in this case be blamed for fraud and unjustified victimisation of Top TV.
It was also found that similar scandals also plagued the Kakungulu Cup.
The FUFA general assembly was found to be too large, easily manipulatable especially by the executive.
The report also revealed that a large section of spectators had lost interest in Ugandan football because of hooliganism, allegations of match fixing and lack of display of talent and competitiveness by clubs. Hooligans, the probe found out, are difficult to track because of lack of fans’ registration.
The committee also noted that much as article 17 of the NFLC rules vests the powers of referee selection in the Referees Standing Committee of FUFA, the executive has usurped these powers.
The issue of referees’ quality was also raised. “Referees are paid a mere sh15,000 to 20,000 which falls far below the allowances for a gate keeper ,†notes the report.
The committee wondered why second and third grade referees became the main actors in the arena.
It was found that management of the FUFA Referees Standing Committee was based on favours and not competence. Technical ability had been compromised for opportunism.
The report cites this as the reason for the emergence of the “Arrow Group†referees.
Other findings
*Coaches sidelined
*No minimum standards for clubs
*Poor relationship between the media and FUFA because the former exposed the rot in the former.
*FUFA not marketed the game.
*FUFA failed to cultivate a healthy relationship with sponsors, ie. . breached a contract with its only sponsor, Nile Breweries.
*KKL given as a contrast; attracted numerous sponsors because of being organised. KKL and FOF were commended.
*NCS Act of 1964 has not caused effective supervision. There is insufficient govt. participation in sports.
* FUFA executives usurped NFLC duties to fraudulently engage in running the league instead of being policy makers and supervisors.
* No provisions in FUFA’s 2002-3 regulations for punishing league owners and administrators.
*League fixtures constantly tampered — undermining competition.
*NFLC incompetent; club allegiances and conflict of interest.
Recommendations
*Football commission be urgently established to administer and arrange the establishment of a new infrastructure for the management of football. Should include a technical adviser from FIFA.
*Uganda withdraws from all international competitions except Nations/World Cup qualifiers.
*Review legal framework of NCS and FUFA.
*Implementation of the IGG’s report on management of funds.
* Appoint a professional team to manage NSSL and NFLC.
*Cancellation of the 2003 NSSL, Kakungulu Cup and first division competitions.