On Friday, December 23rd, the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) and Commonwealth Games Association of Uganda (CGAU) held their end-of-year press release for 2022, highlighting a number of successes and challenges faced throughout the year.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the UOC was able to hold close to 98% of the scheduled activities in their 2022 calendar. This included monthly Executive Committee meetings, quarterly Council meetings with members, and their Annual General Assembly, which took place in March. During this meeting, the UOC presented their 2021 Annual Report, Financial and Audit Reports, and approved the 2022 Calendar and budget.
The UOC’s Commissions were also active throughout the year, conducting a number of activities that promoted Olympism in the country. These included working with member Federations and Associations in various sports such as Basketball, Archery, Swimming, Volleyball, Badminton, and more. The UOC also held an inaugural governance and leadership session for Presidents and Secretary Generals, focusing on their roles and mandate, as well as the Olympic Solidarity world programs.
In addition to these internal efforts, the UOC also played an active role in national sports initiatives. They participated in the National Sports Forum convened by the Minister of State for Sports, and provided extensive input on the draft National Sports and Physical Education Policy, draft Physical Activity and Sports Bill 2022, and the National Sports Bill 2021. The UOC also organized national capacity building activities for their members, the sports fraternity, and beyond. This included hosting the International Olympic Committee Annual Forums for all 54 African National Olympic Committees in Kampala, with the theme “Preparation for Paris 2024”. They also hosted a World Anti-Doping Training of Trainers for anti-doping educators under the Regional Anti-Doping Organization, which aimed to increase and enhance compliance with the WADA anti-doping code.
One major achievement for the UOC in 2022 was the successful representation of Team Uganda at the Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022 and the Islamic Games Konya 2022. The team put in a strong performance, earning 5 medals at the Commonwealth Games and 10 medals at the Islamic Games, making them the fourth highest performing African team. It is clear from their performances that sports in Uganda are on the rise.
In addition to their sporting pursuits, the UOC also focused on initiating partnerships in 2022. They initiated talks with the Total Energies, Cuban Olympic Committee, Bahrain Olympic Committee, and Saudi Olympic Committee, and concluded a joint venture agreement with Samrenato International to launch a sports lotto. The UOC also participated in regional and international forums, such as the Commonwealth Africa Regional meetings and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly.
Going forward, the UOC has identified a number of priorities for 2023. These include the implementation of their Strategic Plan, the holding of their annual general assembly, and the preparation of youth teams for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. They also plan to continue their efforts to secure land for the construction of their office and a second Olympafrica center. This remains a major focus for the UOC as they look to the future.
Overall, the UOC looks back on 2022 with a sense of satisfaction and looks to the future with even more promise. Despite facing some challenges along the way, they were able to achieve a number of milestones in line with their Strategic Plan and have set the stage for further success in 2023.