KAMPALA: After their poor showing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the Uganda Boxing Federation hopes to make amends at the forthcoming 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. During their exhibition in Tokyo, the three Ugandan pugilists did not punch past their first bouts.
The bomber’s captain, Shadir Musa Bwogi, was the last hope for Uganda following the exit of his counterparts, David Ssemujju and Catherine Nanziri. Bwogi, 24, had earlier earned an earlier exit because of his high rank in the welterweight category and only punched in the round of 16, but still lost to Madiev on debut. The Bombers entered the competition in a bid to break the jinx and scoop an Olympic medal for the first time in a long time.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t possible. After this, the amateur boxing chief, Moses Muhangi, attributed the poor performances to a lack of enough preparation to shape up the athletes before their departure for Tokyo. He believes the story would have been different if the team had gone through the necessary preparations.
Once teams have been identified and trained, it is equally important that those teams participate in exposure competitions like friendly games, continental games, AIBA-organised games, world championships, etc. This kind of exposure prepares them for the final competitions. “Unfortunately, here in Uganda, we only train boxers locally and send them to the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics,” Muhangi explained.
Adding, “We don’t think that exposure games are important. Beyond the usual importance of exposure games, which is fitness and competitiveness, it is through these exposure games that boxers earn rankings. It’s important that our teams are given a chance to participate in a number of friendly or exposure competitions and training camps before we present them for the major games”. Noted Muhangi
A tough test awaits in Birmingham.
As the 2022 commonwealth games kick in, Sam Rukundo, an AIBA 3-star boxing coach, told Uganda Radio Network-URN that the first step to organising a strong team should be organising national trials to select a competitive squad.
After having trials, Rukundo says that the pugilists must have a three-month preparation that involves non-residential and residential camps. As you organise with sparring, the last two months must be in a residential camp. Under this, you must also organise several friendly games so as you prepare them for the international fighters that await them, “he said.
Olympian Abdu Tebazalwa, who represented Uganda at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, says that the government must release the preparation funds as early as three months before heading to the Commonwealth Games. Tebazalwa also believes three months is enough time to organise the team.
He recalls the 1998 edition of the Commonwealth Games, where he and his colleagues went through all the necessary preparations that made the entire team competitive.
Although the local amateur boxing body is already presiding over a local boxing league, Tebazalwa says that it should only be used to select a team that can be taken outside the country for exposure.
Whereas experts believe athletes must have friendlies against international pugilists, Uganda Boxing Federation President Muhangi says the Federation is also hoping to organise some international friendlies for the boxers, but their plans are at risk due to a lack of funds.
The government has promised to give us some money, about 60 million schillings, that we can use to identify the boxers. We cannot organise trials because they would cost over 250 million schillings, which we don’t have. Once the team is identified, it has to start training and have international games, “he said.
Muhangi explains that “all these programmes are available, but we don’t have the resources.” One of the international competitions that we wanted to do, one was supposed to be in Tanzania, and we missed it because we didn’t have funds, and the next one is going to be in Congo, but there are higher chances that we are going to miss it because we don’t have resources.
He confirmed to URN that only six slots are available for boxers across all weights, which means the onus is on the Federation to select the best six performing boxers from the Champions League to embark on the next preparations.
The Olympic committee said boxing has only six slots. “The Champions League is not part of the preparations for the commonwealth; it will only be used to select the best six boxers across all weights,” Muhangi said. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, only Juma Miiro managed to scoop a bronze medal in the flyweight category.
