Kampala — One year after he was banned from all rugby-related activities, utl Kobs flanker Steven Ogwete has gained weight but not lost his competitive spirit.

"I have served my ban which changed me a bit. My desire for rugby is greater than it was 10 years ago. Actually, I can't wait for the first weekend of the (2010) league," Ogwete explained to Monday Scoreline, his voice filled with passion.

Before he even looks that far, Ogwete reflects on how he got his 'love' (rugby) to the dogs but remains unrepentant for his altercation with referee George Collins Mulindwa because of the belief that he acted in 'self defence' on the forgettable day (November 9, 2008).

"I came back from Karamoja on Saturday night and decided to come to Kyadondo (RFC) for the final day of the Hima-Makerere 10s. The morning session was fine until things (went haywire) in the semi-finals because the referee was appalling," he recalled.

Kenyan teams especially KCB and Nakuru had complained about Mulindwa's incompetence on the first day and Ogwete, a spectator that day, still wonders why he was chosen to take charge of a game involving Uganda's biggest sides - Kobs and MTN Heathens.

"With Heathens leading 7-0 in the first half, the referee decided to stop the game and sent two Kobs players to the sin-bin. Kobs lock (Victor) Wadia requested to know why he had stopped the game but he decided to run to the referees' tent.

"Me, stone (Tony Luggya), (Kobs coach) Fred (Mudoola) and Wadia followed him to ask why (he had stopped the game) but he started kicking around. In defence, I shoved him and he fell over the chairs."

The following day, the media was awash with stories of the incident, prompting Uganda Rugby Union (URU) to break away from the usual 'snail-pace response' and hastily convene a disciplinary hearing.

"(On Tuesday November 11, 2008,) I was supposed to go to Masaka to work but cancelled in order to attend the DC (disciplinary committee) hearing where I was told that I assaulted a referee and used threatening language against an official."

Upon conviction, Ogwete was initially banned for 16 weeks (four months) which he claims he was 'willing to serve'. Mudoola got 30 weeks while Wadia got 20 weeks.

"I took time to look at the IRB (International Rugby Board) rules in regard to offenses committed outside the playing enclosure and the four-months suspension was the maximum."

Members of the Uganda Rugby Referees' Society (URRS) went behind the back of their chairperson Anne Sizomu to appeal against the bans, calling them light. Sizomu, who is also Wadia's fiancée, was upcountry at the time and later resigned her position after learning of her committee members' actions. "According to the (URU) constitution, appeals are allowed within 48 hours but the referees' appeal was heard four days after the initial sentencing which means rules were broken.

"We appeared before the Union Excom (executive committee) which acted unprofessionally and gave me a one-year ban which I started serving from November 1, 2008," Ogwete said.

Fat to muscle

At the same hearing, Mudoola's punishment was increased to three years while Wadia got 24 months (two years). Those punishments sparked a bitter row between Kobs and the rugby union. The trio sought legal advice and filed a case in the High Court early this year but dates of the hearing are yet to be set.

"I have served my time but our petition is only beneficial to Wadia and Mudoola. I hope they get fair judgement," Ogwete, 27, reminisced.

"During the time I have been way from the turf, I gained 10 kilos to move from 85kgs to 95kgs. My target now is to work hard and transform this fat into muscle," added the player who made his Rugby Cranes debut against Kenya in Elgon Cup first leg at Kampala last year.

Like many of his colleagues, Ogwete was first introduced to rugby as a senior one student at Namilyango College School in 1995.

"I was selected for the school team by Soggy - (the MTN Heathens flanker Robert Sseguya) - while in senior three and made my debut against Progressive S.S.

"Thereafter I moved to Makerere College for my A' Level and we had a fairly good team. We beat (Kings' College) Budo but it was always difficult to play against Namilyango."

While in his senior six vacation, Ogwete joined Boks (Kobs understudy side) before graduating to the senior side in 2002. "Rugby is a big motivation and I am dedicated to Kobs because you get to learn from lawyers, doctors, engineers and so on.

"I looked up to Mike Wandera and when he got injured along with Paul Kagaba - Kobs first choice flankers at the time - I made my Kobs debut against Nakuru in the Enterprise Cup. I was thrown into the fire but came through.

"I chose not to play for the national team to concentrate on my job with Ministry of Water until 2008," said the Agricultural Engineering graduate. "Playing for the national team is great. The atmosphere is different and travelling with the team feels good. I even felt better when my young brother Brian (Odong) made his debut in the second of the Elgon Cup in Nairobi which was a great day for our family."

Ogwete's other brothers - Moses Olobo plays basketball for Kampala International University (KIU) while Pius Epet quit cricket for politics. "My attention now is to help Kobs get back to where we belong then hopefully get selected for Rugby Cranes but my job takes precedence. I play rugby to heal stress of the job so it's been a tough year. Whenever I would get home, I would think about work instead of resting."

Ogwete has undergone the agony of having to sit on the sidelines for one year but for Mudoola and Wadia, every glance at the clock must make the second-hand appear to be moving at a tortoise speed.