Shocking but true: National Sports Federations yet to receive any government funding this financial year

By Emmanuel Sekago

In a surprising and concerning development, since the beginning of the 2024-2025 financial year, Uganda’s national sports federations and associations have not received any funding from the government. This lack of financial support has put many upcoming international and continental competitions in jeopardy, with Uganda’s athletes potentially missing out on critical events.

One of the most affected is the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF), which is on the verge of missing the Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) Championship, set for October 15th to 27th, 2024, in Kinshasha, DRC.

Additionally, the Uganda Bombers are likely to miss the prestigious IBA Youth World Boxing Championships, scheduled from October 23rd to November 5th, 2024, in Budva, Montenegro.

The event, featuring boxers aged 17-18, includes 13 men’s and 12 women’s weight categories. Registration for this event remains open until September 15th, 2024, but without funds, Uganda may not be able to register or send a team.

The Uganda Boxing Federation isn’t alone in this crisis. Dancesport Uganda is also at risk of missing an international engagement in China this month due to a lack of financial resources.

This financial strain comes despite the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development releasing the first quarter funds for the fiscal year 2024-2025.

According to a document seen by Wallnetnews, referenced by BPD/103/155/01 and signed by Ramathan Ggoobi,Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury, the National Council of Sports (NCS) was allocated UGX 124.63 billion. This amount, under the non-wage recurrent category, was to cover various commitments, including the payment of AFCON commitment fees equivalent to USD 30 million.

The release of these funds in July was met with optimism from the sports community. Many stakeholders, including sports federations, fans, and representatives, expressed relief and gratitude, believing the timely release would allow them to plan their activities and meet both local and international obligations.

However, months later, the reality is starkly different, with national federations now crying out for financial support.

The looming question is: what went wrong? Despite the release of funds, Uganda’s sports federations are still in dire need of financial assistance, and the upcoming competitions are at risk. As time runs out, the country’s athletes are left waiting, and the sports community is questioning what is preventing these critical funds from reaching the federations.