Basketball in Africa

SANDE BASHAIJA
KAMPALA

THE Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (Fuba) has failed to confirm participation in the Africa Zone 5 basketball tournament due February 3-10 in Kigali, Rwanda.

World hoops governing body, Fiba early last week set January 15 as the registration deadline for all teams intending to take part.
Fuba official Yunus Nkutu, who doubles a women's head coach told Daily Monitor on phone Monday evening that the federation was still struggling to raise funds.

"We didn't want to commit ourselves before getting enough money. We can still take part but we'll have to pay a late registration fee of Shs400,000 per team. If we confirm and fail to make the trip, it will cost us a fine of $20,000 (about Shs36m)," Nkutu said.

Uganda are defending champions but Egypt are outright favourites to win the event. Winning teams will automatically qualify for the All Africa Games due July this year in Algiers, Algeria.