Experts say closure of schools will hinder sports development

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Sports administrators have said the continued closure of schools is affecting sports development.

Schools were closed following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their closure affected several sporting activities and competitions that were often conducted in schools.

These included the post-primary games, Airtel rising stars’ games, National University games, East African games and the international University Competitions- FISU which were organized to spot young athletes.

The administrators note that with the continued closure of schools, several individuals will lose their respective talents since there is no platform where to display their abilities in different sporting disciplines.

Penninah Kabenge, the head of sports and recreation at Makerere University says that schools and institutions inform what happens in National sports. She believes that all players in all the national teams are nurtured from schools.

Kabenge says that the country is risking losing many young talents in this period because it will be hard for athletes to return to sports.

She also says that the University had planned over 25 competitions from the sporting disciplines they have, but they were all cancelled due to the COVI-19 outbreak.

Wilfred Muhumuza, head of the sports department at Ndejje University says that it has been ahead task to maintain the sports facilities without activities in the country.

In the Uganda Premier League, the top elite football in the country, several universities have already participated and brought several players to the National team.

Universities like Victoria University once participated in the top league and Ndejje University made their maiden appearance in the top league in the 2018 season.

In National Basketball League, teams including UCU Canons and KIU Titans get the majority of their athletes from students of Universities.

In the just-concluded Paralympic games, Makerere University’s Peace Oroma was one of the Para athletes who qualified to take part in the events. Also, Makerere’s Jennifer Nyakato represented Uganda in the World Deaf Championship in Poland this year where she came second in the 800 meters and won silver for Uganda.

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