It has come to the attention of FUFA that Hon Allan Sewanyana together with Mr. Allan Mulindwa who is the Lawyer of the Dan Walusimbi Group has held a Press Conference on Wednesday 6th June, 2017 at Grand Imperial where statements were made implicating the person of the FUFA President in matters of unauthorized selling of tickets for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and that the matter has been submitted to FIFA Ethics and Integrity Committee.
The details of the petition, its merits and demerits have been submitted to the Lawyers of the Person of FUFA President awaiting any legal steps from whatsoever authorities and any related questions and answers shall be a reserve of the legal team.
It is however the obligation of FUFA to state some facts for the benefit of the public.
1) To date FIFA has neither contacted the FUFA President nor the Institution, however when it does an appropriate response shall be provided as required.
2) Since way back, FIFA Member Associations apply for World Cup Tickets if they receive orders from their Nationals with priority given to those involved in sports. In the recent times, this was the case even in the previous regimes when the FIFA World cup was held in 2006 & 2010 with the mechanism applied for 2014.
3) For the case of 2014, many Ugandans applied for the World Cup Tickets and they paid their ticket face price fees to the FUFA Bank Account. The funds were later remitted to FIFA and Tickets were issued to the persons who paid. At an appropriate time, FUFA will release the list of Ugandan beneficiaries that applied, paid and received their 2014 World Cup Tickets through FUFA and the corresponding bank trails.
4) All Ugandan that applied and paid for the tickets received them without any complaint whatsoever.
5) It is therefore incorrect to allege that FIFA gives FUFA tickets for free distribution to Ugandans and there is no single Ugandan that was disenfranchised of the right to buy a ticket for the 2014 World Cup.
6) FUFA is aware that this is election-related machinations but reiterates that the leadership of FUFA will be determined democratically and by the Members of FUFA-a process that is in progress for the FUFA Polls 2017.
The football fraternity including Government, 33 Members of FUFA, sponsors, partners, fans, public and service providers are urged to remain calm during this period as many of such statements are likely to come up in a bid to tarnish the image of the institution, its leaders and also divert the attention of football development in the country.
It is Our Game, It is Our Country.
