Commissioner Mugumya warns schools against using ineligible players

USSSA Ankole zone opening game

St Kagwa 2 Gracious 0

Rev. Can. Duncans Mugumya, Commissioner for Physical Education and Sports (PES), has issued a stern warning to school heads regarding the use of ineligible players in secondary school sports, emphasizing that the newly enacted sports law will penalize such offenses.

Mugumya delivered the warning while presiding over the official opening ceremony of the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Ankole Zone boys’ football championship on Wednesday at Bushenyi Main Grounds.

“School heads must take note: age cheating in school sports is now a punishable offense under the recently signed sports law,” Mugumya stated. “We have cases where S.6 athletes are made to reseat PLE exams, but their physical appearance betrays them. This malpractice must stop, and we are committed to uprooting it.”

Commisioner Mugumya admires the bravery of Levi Mungugeyo

During the ceremony, Mugumya praised 15-year-old Levi Mungugeyo, an S.1 student from Gracious High School Mbarara, who captained his team despite their 2-0 loss to St. Kagwa Bushenyi High School.

The event was attended by key officials, including Denis Turyamureba (Chairman, ASSHU Ankole Region), Dan Mugyenyi (Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipal Education Officer), and Egidio Mucunguzi (USSSA Ankole Zone Chairman), alongside numerous school heads from Bushenyi District.

The championship, featuring 64 teams from 13 districts, will conclude on Sunday, with the top four teams advancing to the national boys’ finals next month at Ngora High School. Defending champions Welden School Mbarara are among the contenders.