| Ugandan sport's
on-the-pitch story cannot, arguably, get any
better than it has managed this year. You can
count off the fingers on one palm the times
Ugandan sport rivalries have blossomed the way
they have in 2008.
There has been something of a rivalry galore
in the Ugandan sporting circles of football,
rugby, basketball and cricket to mention but
a few. It's a development that has brought a
grin onto the faces of many Ugandan sports fans
that have over the years been pretty used to
watching their sports personalities play like
chess players (no disrespect to the game) and
not bungee jumpers.
Risk-taking secures breakthroughs in many spheres
of life; sport inclusive. Interesting then it
has been to see many Ugandan sporting characters
donning cloaks of risk-takers. In cricket, for
example, the unheralded club Charity Cricket
Club was supposed to be a no-hoper. It was supposed
to be the kind of club that hugged the concept
of damage limitation. Problem though is that
the club, packed with youthful talents like
Jonathan Sebanja, Yakub Ahmed and John Tumusiime,
wasn't reading that gloom and doom-laden script.
The risk-taker in them saw them race to the
semifinals of the Luswata Cup, picking a number
of scalps en route.
In rugby, utl Kobs and G4S Pirates; two sides
that play every inch like a bungee jumper have
for the past months been involved in a fascinating
tussle for the Guinness Rugby League honours.
Kobs, as you might now know, came out top of
the duel.
Elsewhere, in what pundits believe is the most
open Super League ever; KCC FC, SC Villa and
Police FC have been dovetailing their fingers
in desperate hope of ending the season as the
topflight football league champions.
With such a glowing on-the-pitch story, it
is pretty baffling that the off-the-pitch tale
has been one of gloom and doom. The government
doesn't give a hoot about sport. Well, at least
that is what its action has oozed thus far.
Ignoring the fact that rugby has improved in
leaps and bounds and that the national side
- The Rugby Cranes - are the continental beaters,
government through Kampala City Council opted
to give away part of Kyadondo RFC's grounds
to "an investor." Logic dictates that
if rugby is to develop, playing grounds have
to be anything but in scant supply.
It's all about money, though, isn't it? A 'sugar
daddy' waving a stack of cash in one's face
can be quite tempting as events in local cricket
have proved. The country's premium cricket ground
- Lugogo Oval - has been turned into a place
that plays host to 'international' music shows.
It wasn't so long ago that cricket pundits
were waxing lyrical about the success that the-then
newly laid grass wicket at Lugogo Oval was going
to enlist. Three years on, the National Council
of Sports is happy to rake the money by giving
the go-ahead for the likes of UB40 and Akon
to do their stuff at Lugogo Oval. Council is
obviously oblivious to the fact that the grass
wicket is grossly affected by such shows.
Any surprises? Nope. Money talks - sadly.
rmadoi@ugandaobserver.com
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