Kampala, (UG):- The FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee has banned 12 individuals from sanctions to 12 individuals over their involvement in a major match manipulation scandal that targeted several Uganda Premier League fixtures during the 2023/2024 football season.
The list of sanctioned individuals includes referees, club administrators, and a player, all of whom were found guilty of participating in a scheme orchestrated by a foreign betting syndicate.
The most prominent figure on the list is former BUL and Busoga United CEO, Ahmed Kongola, who has been banned for five years for his role in illicit activities.
Another key figure, referee Ali Kaddu, has been banned for life, following a thorough investigation by the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee.
In a statement released by FUFA, the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee confirmed that the bans were imposed after detailed hearings and investigations into allegations of match manipulation, in violation of Article 43 of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Code.
“The sanctions imposed on the individuals were taken based on the different mitigating and aggravating circumstances for each party in regard to the degree of involvement in the match-fixing and the level of assistance and cooperation with the investigation,” the statement read.
These sanctions range from lifetime bans to several years, depending on the level of involvement and cooperation with the investigation which revealed that these individuals were complicit in fixing matches, and manipulating results to benefit the foreign betting syndicate.
The full list of those banned includes:
- Ali Kaddu – Life ban (Referee)
- Geoffrey Sajjabi – 10 years ban
- Ahmed Kongola – 5 years ban
- Richard Epieru – 3 years ban
- Joyce Atuheirwe – 3 years ban
- Tausi Nabisere – 3 years ban
- Simon Peter Okello – 3 years ban
- Godwin Nantatya – 3 years ban
- Khalid Muyaga – 2 years ban
- Hassan Noor – 1 year ban
- Latif Kiyemba – 1 year ban
- Docus Atuhaire – 1 year ban
FUFA has emphasized that the bans are a result of different mitigating and aggravating circumstances for each individual, including their degree of involvement and level of cooperation with the probe.
This significant move by FUFA is part of ongoing efforts to clean up Ugandan football and ensure the integrity of the game. The federation has pledged to continue investigating corruption and match-fixing in Ugandan football to maintain the sport’s credibility both locally and internationally.
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