The Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) has urged government to release funds to allow respective sports federations start early preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Speaking to New Vision Sport, Donald Rukare, the UOC secretary general noted that funding for Olympic Games has previously arrived late and that has subsequently affected participation at the international event.
“While the Olympics are in 2016, qualifications for the Games have to be done in 2015. Let us focus on priority areas where we have higher hopes of getting medals,” Rukare explained.
Uganda sent a delegation of 15 athletes for the 2012 London Olympic Games to represent Uganda in weightlifting, athletics, swimming, and badminton where Stephen Kiprotich won Uganda’s first gold since 1972.
But sceptics feel Kiprotich’s gold medal was purely a reward of personal hardwork than anything.
He pointed out that late release of funds had affected per diem payments in the past and had delayed the procurement of kits such as those for the recent 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games which are yet to be sent by manufacturers in Italy.
Rukare also blasted sports federations for shunning an opportunity to take up Olympic grants to subsidize training, and travel costs for coaches and athletes.
He noted that only badminton, rowing, swimming and archery had sent applications to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) out of 20 federations attached to the UOC.
So far, UK based Ugandan swimmer Jamila Lunkuse is the only approved beneficiary, receiving a $5,000 (sh14m) travel subsidy to reduce her costs when travelling for Rio 2016 qualification events.
Runner Moses Kipsiro and badminton player Edwin Ekiring have benefitted from the Olympic scholarships in the past.
Rio Olympics
August 5-21, 2016
By Samuel Sanya, The New Vision