Sports activities to resume without spectators

President Yoweri Museveni has partially re-opened sports.

This means that the Uganda Premier League, the Cranes, and women U-17 engagements scheduled for October and November will go on as earlier scheduled.

Addressing the nation about the COVID-19 situation in the country at State House Nakasero, Museveni said outdoor games can be held amid the pandemic with the strict adherence to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

He said sport will re-open without spectators and the players tested for the coronavirus at least 72 hours before an event. They will also be required to take similar tests after every 14 days.

He said the fans can watch the action on TV.

Unlike outdoor sports, indoor sports and gyms will remain under lockdown because the president reasoned that the virus spreads much in indoor settings.

The players will also be required to stay under quarantine for the rest of their respective seasons.

The president cautioned the players not to engage in sports while putting on masks and appealed to everyone to be their own healthy work by ensuring safety from the virus.

He gave the example of Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo who recently broke the world records saying with discipline the virus can be defeated if the right things are done amid the pandemic.

The National Council of Sports-NCS issued standard operating procedures guiding on the recommended minimum requirements that competition organizers and participants should consider if the government was to allow the resumption of sports activities like it has done.

Like many other entities world over the sports industry is one of the areas that were greatly affected by the global outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease which saw several events, competitions, and activities cancelled or postponed since March.