Why has Cranes' trip to Dubai been delayed?

Uganda Cranes' planned trip to the United Arab Emirates is still in suspense with plenty of speculation attributing the team's botched trip to inconsistencies in their COVID-19 tests.

In a statement released on October 4, FUFA stated that the reason behind the hold-up was due to a delay in clearance.

"The travel plans for the Uganda Cranes contingent to Dubai have been rescheduled to Monday 5th October 2020 due to a delay in acquiring the travel entry clearance to UAE," confirmed FUFA communications director, Ahmed Hussein.

"However the entire team that passed the COVID-19 tests carried out on Thursday has now travelled back to the Cranes Paradise Hotel in Kisaasi where they will spend the night and also observe the SOPs set for the camp by the health officials before flying out tomorrow."

However, although FUFA state that the team's delay to travel was due to challenges in processing entry clearance to Dubai, other sources indicate that one of the support members in the team was found positive after testing and has since been taken to Namboole for isolation and treatment.

A source further stated that the Cranes contingent was tested again on Monday and will now wait for another 48 hours to get to know the results before travelling.

The member found positive is said to be a support member to coach Johnny McKinstry.

The team is currently based at Cranes Paradise Hotel in Kisaasi.

Vision Sport is still trying to verify the reports about the positive case and establish facts behind the team's on-and-off trip.

Sports was one of the sectors that were recently opened up by President Yoweri Museveni but different directives were put in place if they were to resume.

Athletes must be tested 72 hours to a game, a repeat test after 14 days, and teams in competitions must be quarantined.

This was followed by guidelines set by the National Council of Sports (NCS) which included submitting a schedule of planned activities and venues to be used.