Africa-Press – Uganda. Elite sports competitions have been given a green light to resume under strict and costly Covid-19 guidelines including testing of players. For community sports, the cost just got higher.
Community sport events lack the necessary funding to test players let alone control crowds. Ritah Aliguma, the founder of Slums Soccer, an annual youth tournament held for three consecutive years in Acholi Quarters of Kasokoso Slum found in Nakawa Division, this year’s tournament may have to be delayed.
Just last week, Aliguma received a Shs12m sponsorship from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) including 16 full sets of jerseys and 32 footballs. Joel Boutroue, the UNHCR Country Representative was excited by his agency’s contribution stressing the role of helping less privileged people engage in sports.
“It gives me joy to know that we are playing a part in changing lives in slums which host people who have been affected by war, especially Acholi Quarters, which host people that were escaping from the Joseph Kony insurgency in northern Uganda,” Boutroue said.
He witnessed first-hand last year in the finals the role community sports plays in bringing people together while charting careers for some. The event has been used to identify talent while the founder has connected some players to schools that have offered sports bursaries.
Aliguma explained that she is in discussions with the football organising body, Fufa, to determine when it can be safe to host the tournament.
“We are aware of how excited people are but we must be responsible in order not to expose players and fans to Covid-19. Fufa is still studying the situation and as soon as they deem it fit to host such tournaments, we shall kick off. Everything is set for this year including the trophies,” Aliguma said.
Fufa has so far cleared the national league, Big League and Buganda Kingdom’s Masaza Cup to start without fans.
Deputy chief executive Decolas Kiiza stressed during the commissioning of Masaza Cup that Fufa will aid safe return of football by offering their officials to oversee organisation.
“But we are optimistic soccer will return soon especially that advancements have been made in finding vaccines,” Kiiza [email protected]
