FUFA has confirmed that starting tomorrow (next year), StarTimes Uganda premier league (UPL) players will get medical insurance cover.
This was confirmed by FUFA President Eng. Moses Magogo while making his end of year address at the Federation headquarters, Mengo on Monday.
He revealed that FUFA entered into a one-year partnership with AAR Insurance Company with an option of renewal.
“Starting 2020, FUFA will offer medical insurance to all the players in Uganda Premier League by AAR Insurance Company. This will cater for injuries to players and compensation for permanent disabilities as a result of injuries,’ Magogo confirmed. “We have observed this over the years that some players have sustained career- threatening injuries and clubs failed to help them recover fully. In this arrangement, 400 players will be catered for and the registration is almost done,” he added.
This therefore means that each of the 16 clubs will have 25 players. The President also revealed that referees with FIFA badges will also be part of the medical insurance cover. Uganda Premier League chairman, Arinaitwe Rugyendo lauded FUFA for the initiative and believes this is a great stripe in helping players.
“We thank FUFA for the efforts in developing the game of football. We made the decision as UPL to put an end to the animosity between the two bodies like it was in the past. And I must say the positive progress is now evident. I laud FUFA for extending medical insurance to our players and this will help a lot,” noted Rugyendo.
FUFA also offers medical insurance to delegates, FUFA staff, Uganda Cranes’ players and players featuring in the FUFA Juniors League. This arrangement is catered for by the National Insurance Company (NIC). Meanwhile, Kadiba training facility will be ready for use in the forthcoming year 2020 and the construction of the FUFA stadium in Lugazi will start this coming year too, according to Magogo. The two projects are funded by FIFA.
“In areas of youth football, we want all academics to be registered. We have drawn a football curriculum for youth football and we shall introduce a primary competition for Girls’ football (Odilo). There are very many people out there who think our success has been by luck. We made our way up there. Our journey did not start yesterday. If you want to be part of FUFA, be part of the game first and football will pick you. I must say we are enemies of our own success. There are people who are not comfortable with the progress of the game and would do anything to satisfy their desires,” Magogo highlighted.
He also expressed desire to improve human resource, law and fighting of match fixing in the game.
Achievements:
-FUFA entered in all competitions and success recorded in a number of tournaments.
-Champions in CECAFA U15, U17, U17 girls Cosafa, U17 girls Cecafa, Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup, CECAFA Kagame Cup (Inter-clubs cup).
-Uganda qualified for the AFCON U17 finals for the first time ever.
-Second best performance at AFCON ever.
-Uganda attained the fourth consecutive CHAN qualification.
-Currently leading the 2021 AFCON qualifiers (Draw away in Burkina Faso and winning)
-Second in 2019 Copa Dar es Salaam beach soccer, Third in CECAFA Women Challenge Cup.
-Initiation of the Insurance Fund for Uganda Premier League players
-FUFA organized all the Statutory meetings in 2019
-Increase of women representation.
-Independent FUFA Judicial bodies
-Training (courses) for intermediaries.
-Start of the Odilo challenge (national primary schools’ championship)
-Visible tremendous development of women football, beach soccer and futsal.
-Infrastructural development (Extension of FUFA Structures completed)
-Air tickets have been provided to clubs in the CAF Club competitions
-13 Football competitions were successfully held in the year, 2020
-Shs8bn sponsorship generated
-Good social media following
-Fifth Airtel – FUFA Awards were organized
-Increased revenue for FUFA Radio
-Shs320m to regional associations and active district football associations
Challenges in 2019:
-Lack of sufficient and standardized facilities
-The out-dated law of 1964 is still in force
-Inadequate human resource
-Failure for Ugandan players to break into the top five leagues in the world
-Match Fixing
-Way forward:
-FUFA would like to consolidate on the achievements outlined
-Create Independent judicial bodies
-Licensing of football academies in 2020 with curriculum for these academies
-Nationwide youth football
-Make Kadiba and other FUFA facilities usable in 2020
-Engage Government in sports facilities development.
-FUFA will occupy the completed facilities.
-Make better use of technology and encourage the stakeholders to embrace technology.
