Uganda men’s basketball team, the Silverbacks, has been forced out of the first window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Angola due to lack of funds. The announcement was made today by the Federation of Uganda Basket Ball Association through their official social platforms.
After pulling off a wonderful performance at the 2021 FIBA AfroBaskeball championship in Kigali, Rwanda, the Silverbacks finished sixth. The lack of funds to facilitate their participation in international tournaments again stands in their way as the dates for the World Cup qualifiers draw closer. The games are scheduled for November 26-28, 2021.
This is not the first time the Silverbacks are being faced with lack of funds. It should be remembered that in the last qualification game for AfroBasketball against Morocco, the team was not provided with money to facilitate their game which forced the basketball federation President Nasser Sserunjonji to borrow money that eventually helped them to qualify for the Afrobasketball final tournament in Rwanda.
Arnold Katabi, who is the Vice President in charge of Media and Publishing at the Federation of Uganda’s Basketball Association said that “This is the current situation.”
Katabi further revealed that the National Council of Sports (NCS) communicated to the federation that there are no funds to help the team attend the first window of the qualifiers in Angola.
While preparing for the AfroBasket, the team had also planned to have a two-week training camp in Egypt prior to the AfroBasket but this was not possible as the team had no funds.
FUBA says when they informed NCS about the need for financial support for the finals and reimbursement of the Morocco expenses, they were informed that there was no money. According to FUBA, they used $96,000 to pay part of the $100,000 accumulating debts arising from the Morocco trip.
At least 12 players had already been summoned to start preparing for the qualifiers in Angola.
