The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The President of the Uganda Table Tennis Association, Robert Jjagwe, says the association has received additional 28 million shillings towards hosting the Eastern Africa Regional Championships.
He says the International Table Tennis Federation-ITTF extended the funds on Tuesday to facilitate smooth organisation of the championships that will kick-off at the Pope Paul Memorial Centre in Kampala.
The additional funds from ITTF come days after the National Council of Sports-NCS released shillings 15 million as financial support for hosting the championships.
This brings the total amount of funds received to shillings 43 million. The association had an initial budget for hosting the Championships at shillings 57 million. The budget was cut to shillings 25 million after discussions between the association and NCS.
Jjagwe says the funds from both government and ITTF will relieve the hosts from a financial squeeze considering that the association has had to do several activities at the last minute.
According to Jjagwe, the funds will be used says that the funds will cater for the prize money, pay umpires, airport pickups and also buy equipment such as balls, rubbers, corns, ropes among others.
Every country will field 2 males and 2 females. Uganda, as hosts, will however field 4 females and 4 males at the championship.
Winners will get US $400 (approximately Shillings 1.4 million), 2nd placed player will get US$200 (Around Shillings 760,000) while 3rd and 4th placed players will get $ 100 US Dollars (approximately Shillings 360,000).
The winner of the championship in the men and women’s category will participate in the Olympic Qualifier to be held in Tunisia early 2020.
Eight countries including Uganda have confirmed participation. Others include Kenya, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti.
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