• Thursday 25 – Sunday 28 February 2021
• MTN Indoor Arena – Lugogo
The 2021 Uganda International Badminton tournament has been officially launched at the National Council of Sports (NCS) headquarters in Lugogo – Kampala on Wednesday.
The ceremony had the newly elected Uganda Badminton Association (UBA) president Nakamya Annet, UBA Vice president Hajji Serugo Muhammad, Association Treasurer Jamilu Buwembo, NCS assistant General secretary David Katende and NCS administrative secretary technical Kasumba James.
Unlike last year’s event that had 35 participating nations, the 16th edition has attracted only Eight countries as entries were restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of the 90 athletes registered for the tournament, hosts Uganda has recorded a lion’s share of participants (44) and the rest coming from Kenya (26), Nigeria (3), America (3), Germany (1), Ghana (2), Paraguay (1) and India (10).
Uganda Badminton Association president Mrs Nakamya Annet believes the championship will help Ugandan athletes accumulate points to qualify for next year’s commonwealth games in Birmingham, England.
“We are doing this to make sure that our players are in a comfortable seat by next year for the commonwealth games and we have a home advantage which gives us a chance to field in the number players we want. I thank the technical wing of Uganda Badminton Tournament alongside the sponsors headed by NCS, Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA), and Badminton World Federation BWF,” she noted.
The Uganda International Badminton Tournament is a point accumulating event for both Commonwealth and Olympic Games and with the points gathered in the championship improving the nation and player rankings.
Team Uganda will field vastly experienced players in Kasirye Brian, Sennono Davis, Wanagalya Daniel, Mbabazi Gladys, Namakoye Mable, Husna Kobugabe, among others in the four-day championship.
NCS assistant general secretary David Katende urged the organizers to maintain Covid-19 SOPs and keep the participants in the bubble to ensure the safety of athletes.
“I congratulate Uganda for being one of the countries to begin the international competition and having fulfilled the requirements to hold the tournament. In this event, we don’t expect having spectators and it’s limited to participants and organizers. All participants are supposed to be in the bubble and this is aimed at ensuring the lives of these participants and there should not be compromise,” he urged.
Africa is in position to accumulate more than 10000 points and finish among the top eight in the tournament to be represented in the commonwealth games.
Uganda is positioned second on the table standings of commonwealth countries behind Mauritius but tied up on points with Ghana, South Africa and Zambia.
The post Eight Nations Confirm Participation in 2021 Uganda International Badminton Tournament first appeared on ChimpReports.
