By Aloysius Byamukama
As the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Ball games are near resumption, the association has decided to revise the eligibility rules due to the shortfalls caused by the outbreak of Covid 19 and its resultant lockdowns and suspension of schools sports.
It has been two years of no schools sports activities, but following the president’s suspension of the lockdown and opening of social events, the schools are set to get back to competitions, with USSSA having released the calendar.
While speaking to the delegates in the association Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Old Kampala SS on Friday, association president Patrick Okanya confirmed that some of the rules especially age will be bent in favour of all the athletes due to the missed years.
“Our tournaments have been limited to athletes below 20 years and because there have been years of no activity, we shall have it raised to U-21 to compensate the years missed. But this we shall do in Uganda and then go ahead to lobby for the same at the regional level when it comes to FEASSSA games,” Okanya said.
From the new set-up, Okanya clarified that athletes born from 2000 will now be eligible to take part in the national games.
The meeting presided over by commissioner physical education and sports Rev Can Duncans Mugumya, who represent state minister for sports Denis Obua, was also attended by NCS assistant GS Dick Katende and federation presidents Sarah Babirye of UNF and Moses Muhangi of UBF.
In his remarks, Mugumya asserted that the opening of schools opened the doors to the resumption of schools sports, and called upon all school heads to embrace the government programs in schools.
“We thank you the school heads and directors for the contributions you make in the ministry of education and sports. I urge you to keep sports in schools because it’s one way of keeping the students’ discipline,” Mugumya said.
A minute of silence was observed for the fallen Uganda sports personalities Douglas Kigozi Kafumbe former teacher at Nabisunsa Girls, Aldo Otto the former Gulu district sports officer, Max Omega and former commissioner ministry of education Martin Osban.
The meeting also agreed on changes in the association constitution and affirmative action on the 3rd deputy president was reserved for a female, among other changes.