Busoga delegates quiz Magogo over online player registration

The delegates say the shortcomings in the process is hampering the progress of the sport at the grassroot.

Football delegates from Busoga sub region have expressed concern over delays in online player registration.

The delegates say the shortcomings in the process is hampering the progress of the sport at the grassroot.

The delegates said some football clubs end up losing matches simply because some of their players would have missed out being registered on line in time by the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA).

The chairman eastern football association, Hajj Issa Musiwa, during a meeting in Iganga April 2 said they have on several occasions raised the concern with relevant authorities at Mengo but nothing seems to be done.

“At times a team would be having only 15 players registered in time for the game yet the players who have been left out are the ones who are tactical,” he said.

Musiwa said the lower football league would be more competitive than it is now if all players would be registered online in time to feature for their respective teams.

“We are missing good talent at the lower level clubs just because players are not being registered in time," he said.

The Minister of Youth and Sports in Busoga Kingdom, Amin Bbosa, expressed concern over the level of bureaucracy involved during the online registration of players.

Bbosa said some players are being asked to come along with their national identification cards to be eligible for registration yet many are lacking the documents.

“Most of the players are good to feature for these lower clubs but lack national identification cards just because they are underage or have become of age at a time when national identification cards are not being processed by government," he said.

The delegates were drawn from the 11 districts that form Busoga sub-region and also included district sports officers and district education officers.

Caroline Birungi, from the Uganda Women Football Association, said improvement in registration of players online will help football clubs from incurring clearing huge medical bills of players.

“Clubs are forced to treat any player just because there is no replacement during competitive matches,” Ms Birungi, who also the chairperson of Jinja-based Upper Nile Football Club, said

FUFA president Moses Magogo assured clubs that registration of players on line will soon be improved to ensure all players are able to compete in matches.

Magogo said FUFA is determined to ensure that it promotes football countrywide by introducing the game in all schools besides homes.

He said all institutions of learning in Busoga sub-region have been instructed to allow any competitive football activity be hosted in their locality as a way of improving on talent amongst youths countrywide.