THE PRODIGAL SON!! By Oonyu Sadat _ A VOLLEYBALL ENTHUSIAST.

sadat
Oonyu Sadat .

31st January, 2021 is a date the volleyball fraternity passionately resonates with, not just because it is the federation’s election day but most specifically a potential reincarnation of the federation’s past leadership woes…it’s not news anymore that two former executive members of the federation have expressed interest in re-steering the Volleyball Ship to anchor.

 

However, given the caliber of adversaries coupled with the various stakeholders’ sentiments towards the two, it’s needless to say that the electorates are in for a bumpy ride in a rather mechanically dysfunctional automobile.

Most prominent of the ‘returnees’ is the former President who says “…upon personal contemplation, analysis and evaluating of the status of VB & BVB in Uganda and specifically the last four years…after individual and institutional requests…but calls in and out of volleyball have obliged me…I will be reaching out to our delegates to share with them my “dreams” of VB and BVB…ask them what they want VB to look like…”.

These statements raise five questions;

1. What is the status of Volleyball, Beach Volleyball & Park Volleyball?

2. Why his “personal contemplating, analysis and evaluation specifically focused on the last four years?

3. What requests were forwarded by the “individuals & institutions”?

4. If “individuals and institutions” requested him to save the sinking ship, why look for them to ask them what they would want Volleyball to look like?

5. What is the strategic plan of Volleyball moving forward?

In his first spell at Chelsea (June 2004-2007/8), Jose Mourinho helped Chelsea quench a fifty year old thirst for a top flight title, a fete that was whitewashed by a dismal performance on his second coming after nine years away from Stamford Bridge hence his unceremonious exit with Chelsea in 16th place one point shy of relegation.

At Real Madrid, (2016) the maestro Zinedine Yazidi Zidane took over the ruins of Carlo Ancelotti and restored the ‘Les Merengues’ back to the top where they belonged, after a one year long sabbatical leave from Bernabeu, his return has been marred by destruction of Zidane’s 2016/17 superb performance.

The list of individuals who have failed on their second coming is endless, I am not casting a dark cloud over the second coming of the Uganda Volleyball Federation aspirants, please don’t get me wrong however, in a scenario where;

1. The list of affiliates who constitute the electorate cannot be traced therefore the issue of ghost voters still haunts the electoral process.

2. Choice of leadership is dictated by club affiliation and not on ability and competence

3. A holistic strategic plan both short and long-term for Volleyball as a whole is hard to come by

4. The federation and Secretariat’s source of funds is still at the mercy of handouts

5. The different branches of the federation e.g. The Sports Organizing Committee running almost on their own with less or no accountability whatsoever

6. No clear auditing structure in place to oversee who does what, why and how

7. Implementation of resolutions from various stakeholder meetings not followed through

8. The objectives of the federation as provided for by the constitution are tucked away in shelves gathering dust and cobwebs.

What am I saying; right now what Volleyball wants is a leadership that is selfish and entirely dedicated to the wellbeing of the game because at the end of the day, volleyball is the vehicle you are using to get you from point A of your career to Point B.

A number of institutions have used Volleyball as a marketing tool. For example, go to Kumi anytime any day and no universities than Nkumba and Ndejje are on the lips of any athlete.

Therefore, serving club allegiance, using positions in Volleyball to get back at purported adversaries, and using Volleyball positions as a stepping stone to boost ones’ personal ambitions is what in the past has dragged the sport down the drain no wonder even the current aspirants can’t easily be trusted by the electorates.

The sad truth is Volleyball in Uganda is like a very beautiful and gorgeous young lady ready to be pounced on by every man yearning to traverse her succulent endowments but none is willing to walk her down the aisle.

The writer, Sadat is a sports activist / Volleyball enthusiast.

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