Multiple world athletics record holder Joshua Cheptegei believes that weak sports leadership and poor structures have not favored athletes despite putting continued flying of the Ugandan flag high.
“Most of the people in sports leadership are selfish and front personal issues at the expense of players. I want to ask those in sports leadership to be more patriotic, love their country and do the right thing,” he noted.
Reacting to the government’s move to better Uganda Cranes welfare with improved bonuses, accommodation and travel, Cheptegei noted that athletics needs the same treatment and beyond for what they offer to the nation.
“If player welfare is improved, the results will also improve. If the government offers all that to FUFA and Uganda Cranes, why not athletics which gives this country more value. We thank FUFA for what it has achieved for Cranes, but we should also go back to the same government and ask for athletics budget improvement,” added Cheptegei.
FUFA President Moses Magogo announced that the Uganda Cranes will stay in five-star hotels, travel by business class and get improved bonuses, courtesy of the government funding.
“I have personally been traveling in business class with Kiplimo and Chemutai but at our private arrangements. We need all athletes to be upgraded because we travel long distances,” he noted.
There has been continued dissatisfaction with sports budget allocation with athletics getting a meagre budget compared to football despite its international glory.
“We were promised Shs3bn but instead we got Shs2.5bn. We want to ask the government of Uganda to cater for our minimal budget of Shs10bn and we look for the rest of the budget from elsewhere,” noted Dominic Otuchet, the Athletics Uganda president.
Cheptegei believes that if runners are given impressive treatment, it could inspire young Ugandans to embrace athletics for continuity of the registered success.
The Olympic and world champion was speaking after team Uganda returned from Denmark where he won bronze in the World athletics road running championship with Uganda finishing 4th overall.
