By Phillip Corry
UGANDAN hockey may never be the same again when a sh460m modern hockey pitch is erected next to Kabira club later this year.
The Uganda Hockey Association (UHA) yesterday received sh197 from Sudhir Ruparelia, that will supplement funds for development of facilities due from the international hockey federation
Ruparelia announced at a press conference at Kabira club that he had donated $100,000 as part of the money to install a synthetic pitch. This project has been in progress since the International Hockey Federation awarded a grant to UHA in November 2000,
“Three years ago, we together with the association initiated this project to build this facility and now we have raised this money and we hopefully will have this pitch up by the end of this year,” Sudhir Ruparelia, said.
“The new project will help promote the sport and make it grow further in the country.”
The pitch will be set up on Kira road in Bukoto on land that will also be used to construct a school by Ruparelia Group of companies.
International hockey official Theo Ykema hailed the Ugandan tycoon for his kind gesture and added that Uganda has great potential to develop the best hockey players in this region.
“We are very pleased with such a gesture from Ruparelia and we in the FIH take this project very seriously,” Ykema said. “We have a strong belief that Uganda has a big potential.”
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