Local boxing chief weighs in on Olympic Games postponement

By Thomas Odongo

The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games were on Tuesday postponed until next year due to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed that the upcoming Tokyo Games "will be held by the summer of 2021," the prime minister's office announced Tuesday.

Initially, the 2020 Olympic Games were due to run from 24 July to 9 August.

However, even then (2021), the games will still be dubbed the "Tokyo 2020 Olympics."

Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) is one of the sport governing bodies that was supposed to be in the mix in Tokyo this summer.

UBF got assurance to be represented in Tokyo after National Boxing Team (Bombers) Captain Shadir Musa qualified for the event via a continental qualifier held in Dakar, Senegal about a month ago.

After the games postponement, UBF President - Moses Muhangi believes that the announcement was no surprise to him.

"It was something that was supposed to have happened long time ago," Muhangi said adding that relevant authorities should have made the same decision in the early stages of the Covid-19 outbreak.

UBF is still active in regard to technical works as they await for communication in line with the matter. Muhangi together with his UBF team are ready for the next chapter.

"We have to respect that and follow the new program that will be communicated to us. We had hoped to continue with our Olympic programs but it (postponement) has happened," Muhangi said.

He also urged Shadir Musa to keep in shape through training.

"Later we will return to national grounds and go back to the drawing board as we wait for next year," Muhangi added.

Tokyo 2020 is the biggest sporting event to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Almost all sporting events, leagues and tournaments across the globe are currently at a halt due to the same.