FUFA: URA, Simba must pay $10,000 or miss continental football

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The spokesman for the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) Rogers Mulindwa has said that Uganda Revenue Authority FC and Simba FC risk missing the continental football, if they fail to pay security a fee of US$10,000 by October 21.

URA FC is expected to represent Uganda at the lucrative Orange Africa Champions League in 2012, while army side Simba FC will enter the Confederations Cup. “All we are asking for is a security fee of US$10,000 by each of the teams if we are to forward their names and details to the Confederation of African Football (CAF),” Mulindwa told URN Thursday morning.

The Fufa spokesman explained that this money is simply for security purposes so that the teams are taken seriously and don’t withdraw along the way, fetching  the Federation a penalty from CAF.

“This money will be returned to them when they take part in those particular tournaments and don’t withdraw along the way to bring us problems,” he said.

URA won the Super League title last year giving them chance to represent the country in the Orange Africa Champions League, while Simba won the Uganda Cup.

When contacted Simba coach Fred Kajoba said his bosses at Bombo were meeting to make a final decision because they think the US$10,000 is not as per the laid down rules by CAF. “My bosses are not ready to pay that money because they say it’s not stipulated anywhere in the rules to pay US$10,000 as security fee,” added Kajoba.

URA’s coach Alex Isabirye also told URN that they are trying to find a solution to that before the end of the day on Friday.

In the past, Uganda has had teams enter the continental tournaments and eventually withdrawing because of financial problems, thus forcing CAF to slap cash fines on the teams and the Federation.

In 2010,  SC Villa’s last minute withdrawal from Confederations Cup cost FUFA a fine of US$3000 while the federation footed another fine of US$5000 for the indiscipline exhibited by the KCC fans in South Africa during a match against Super Sport FC in 2009.

-Uganda Radio Network