Uganda: High Court Suspends Ankole Districts Football Tournament

25 July 2023
Nile Post (Kampala)

High Court in Mbarara has suspended all scheduled matches for the ongoing Ankole Districts Football Tournament after controversy rocked the competition.

Deputy Registrar Zulaika Nanteza on Monday issued an interim order suspending the tournament's scheduled quarter final games due this week after an application by members of the Bushenyi District Football Team.

They filed a petition challenging some of the decisions of Organising Commitee that awarded three points and three goals to rivals Sheema District, a decision that eliminated their team from the tournament.

In her order issued on Monday evening, Deputy Registrar Nanteeza ruled:

"An interim order is issued restraining the respondents or anyone deriving authority from or any other person from continuing with playing any other matches in the Ankole Districts Football Tournament 2023 until the hearing and determination of the main application for temporary injunction".

By Monday's order, the tournament now stands suspended until mid August when Court will entertain the application for the main injunction.

The Bushenyi District Football Team Organising Commitee led by Alternate Team Manager Apollo Lee Kakonge, member Richard Twesigye and Media Officer Zadock Amanyisa went to court after organisers of the Ankole Districts Football Tournament from Abomugisha Sports Ventures cancelled a game in which their team was leading by the 77th minute, and ordered it to be replayed.

The organisers also refused to follow the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) rules under article 25 (3) of the FUFA competition rules (2021) on on replaying abandoned games, and rejected efforts by FUFA regional representatives to intervene in the matter. The organisers also ignored the referees report of the controversial match.

Bushenyi leaders also say that some of the organisers like Ronald Alonso, who doubles as team managers of rival districts like Sheema harbour a conflict of interest that does not promote fair competition.

The 2023 edition of the Ankole Districts Football Tournament started in late June after Bushenyi which boasts of the biggest fan base in this tournament beat Mitooma District 2: 0 in the first game.

The tournament later run into controversy after some of the participating teams started to wantonly violate the rules with the alleged tacit approval of members of the organising committee.

Read the original article on Nile Post.

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