Uganda's hopes of competing at the 2026 Rugby Africa Men's Sevens have suffered a major setback after the Rugby Cranes 7s were forced to withdraw from the continental showpiece in Mauritius due to Ebola-related travel restrictions.
On Wednesday, Uganda Rugby confirmed that the national sevens team will not participate in the tournament scheduled for June 20-21 at SPARC in Cascavelle, Mauritius.
The decision follows measures imposed by Mauritian authorities temporarily prohibiting entry of foreign nationals who have travelled from, transited through, or been present in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days.
"Uganda Rugby would like to inform stakeholders and fans that the Rugby Cranes 7s will not participate in the 2026 Rugby Africa Mauritius Sevens," Uganda Rugby President Godwin Arinaitwe Kayangwe said in a statement.
The withdrawal comes as a huge blow to the Rugby Cranes 7s, who had been preparing to compete against some of Africa's top rugby nations in a tournament that also forms part of Rugby Africa's 40th-anniversary celebrations.
The competition will feature 12 teams, including defending champions South Africa, hosts Mauritius, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Morocco, Madagascar, Tunisia, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.
Despite the setback, Uganda Rugby said discussions are ongoing to ensure the country does not miss out entirely on international opportunities.
"Rugby Africa, the Rugby Committee, and Uganda Rugby are actively engaging to explore possibilities for HSBC Division 3 Qualification," the statement noted.
The federation said the welfare of players and officials remains its top priority as the Ebola situation continues to influence travel and sporting activities across the region.
"We remain committed to the safety of our players, staff and supporters and will provide updates as discussions progress," the statement added.
Uganda becomes one of the latest sporting casualties of the health restrictions triggered by the Ebola outbreak, with the development raising fresh concerns about the impact of disease outbreaks on the country's international sporting calendar.