Uganda is once again in the international limelight with the hosting of a high profile Africa Zone V regional Anti-doing board meeting where nine countries have attended .
The board meeting started on Friday at Marriot Hall, Protea Hotel in the Lake Victoria peninsular town of Entebbe Municipality.
This comes weeks after hosting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Futsal and Beach soccer committee meeting at the same facility.
The countries in attendance are hosts Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Somalia.
Also in attendance at the meeting are Rodney Swigelaar, the Director World Anti Doping Association (WADA) in charge of the Africa regional office, the incumbent chairperson of the Africa Zone V RADO Dr. Kipchoge Keino, his vice president and board member, Dr Ahmed Elgamel, , member country representatives ambassadors, WADA representatives Tom May, Christine Mugera and Japhter Rugut.
The State Minister for Sports Hon. Charles Bakkabulindi, flanked the President of Uganda Olympic Committee, William Blick and the chairman of the National Council of Sports Bosco Onyik, officially graced the official opening of the high profile meeting where key note decisions and resolutions are being discussed.
In his address at the official opening, Bakabulindi reechoed the need to have “clean” drug free competitions in the name of protection the integrity of sports.
We as Government advocate clean competitions at all times. Winning with natural strength is the way to go and we shall always stick to that. It is unfair to perform excellently under the influence of drugs
Rodney Swigelaar reiterated the need to have the Government fully involved in the anti-doing struggles in a bid to have a clean sporting environment.
The fight against doping is a collective responsibility for all parties involved in sports development. The Government force is much needed. We need to protect the intergrity of sport. We are here to spear head the anti-doping in Africa amidst every challenge at hand.
UOC President William Blick added to the strong voice condemning this deadly unsporting vice.
As a zone, Africa Zone V is against all acts that bring sport into disrupt including doping. Uganda is fully all the Anti Doping strategies by RADO and WADA.
National Council of Sports Chairman Bosco Onyik enlightened on the healthy relations between UOC and Government as a way of creating harmony to promote sports.
The board meeting will climax on Saturday with a send off dinner planned in Kampala.
Members attending the Board meeting:
Mehari Mebrathtu (Eritea), Dr. Akliu Azazh (Ethiopia), Dr. Helmy Seifeldin (Egypt), James Waweru (Kenya), Dr Emmanuel Nsengiyumva (Rwanda), Dr. Ahmed El Gamel (Sudan), Dr. Christopher Mbowa (Uganda), Dr Christina Luambano (Tanzania), Dr. Abdi Ibrahim Ahmed (Somalia), Dr. Kipchoge Keino (RADO office), Christine Mugera (RADO Office), Tom May (WADA), Rodney Swigelaar (WADA), Japhter Rugut (Kenya)