The 5th National Sports Forum has been held today, 31st December 2020 and given the prevailing outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic, the Forum has been held online. The Minister of state for Sports, Honorable Denis Hamson Obua chaired the Forum as stipulated in Article 17 of the National Council of Sports Statutory Instrument No.38 which provides for the convening of the participatory meeting at least once every three months with National Sports Associations/Federations.

Today is World AIDS Day, here is a message from our Council (Board) Chairman, Dr. Donald Rukare to the Uganda Sports fraternity.

'As the world commemorates World AIDS Day, we take time to remember all those who have lost their lives to this epidemic. It is important that we in the sports arena continue to remain vigilant and leverage our sports codes to deepen the anti HIVAids messages of testing, prevention, treatment and ending stigmatization. Together, we can flatten the HIV AIDS curve in Uganda.' - Dr. Donald Rukare.

A) SILVERBACKS
The National Senior Men’s Basketball Team, the Silverbacks have today been flagged off by the NCS Chairman, Dr. Donald Rukare to the FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers slated for 27th to 29th November 2020 in Alexandria, Egypt.

The team comprising of Seven local based players will depart tomorrow, Saturday 14th November 2020 and will be joined by Five foreign based players for a 10 days Pre-camp in Alexandria before the actual event.
Uganda is drawn in Group E alongside hosts Egypt, Morocco, and Cape Verde.

A team of officials from National Council of Sports, Ministry of Education and Sports, Uganda Athletics Federation and the President’s Office on Sports on 30th October 2020 made a site visit to the National High Altitude Centre in Teyret, Kapchorwa to ascertain work progress on the sports facility.

The Uganda Athletics Team to the World Athletics Half Marathon in Gdynia, Poland has been welcomed back to Uganda. The team presented its accolades at a press conference today at National Council of Sports Lugogo: Jacob Kiplimo won Gold in a Championship Record and National Record time of 58:49, while Joshua Cheptegei making his debut in the Half Marathon event set a Personal Best of 59:21 to finish 4th, Victor Stephen 16th and Stephen Kissa 19th, resulting in a Team Bronze for the Men’s team.

Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo will lead Team Uganda Athletics to the World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland on Saturday, 17th October 2020.

World Champion Joshua Cheptegei is the new world Record Holder for the men’s 10,000m in addition to world records in the 5KM, 15KM and 5,000m.

Jacob Kiplimo only recently won the 3000m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rome in a world-leading 7:26.64 to set a new Uganda National record. Prior to this, Jacob won the 5000m at the World Athletics Continental Tour meeting in Ostrava with a Personal Best of 12:48.63.

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei last night in Valencia, Spain set a new World Record of 26:11 in the NN Valencia Record Day. Joshua Cheptegei easily broke the previous 15 year old 10,000m men’s World Record that was set by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele at 26:17.23

Joshua Cheptegei currently holds FOUR world records in 5KM, 15KM, 5,000M and 10,000M.

After a period of seven months of suspended sports activity in Uganda, the President of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on 20th September 2020, in his Nation's address on COVID-19 eased down on the lockdown restrictions and allowed for the resumption of sports in Uganda.

The President lifted restrictions on outdoor sports activities and maintained the ban on indoor activities. Equally testing of players/athletes was made mandatory, with testing to take place 72 hours before the sports activity/game with a repeat test after 14 days.

On 20th September 2020, the President of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in his Nation's address on COVID-19 eased down on the lockdown restrictions and allowed for the resumption of sport in Uganda. Accordingly, National Council of Sports shall provide guidance to National Sports Associations/Federations on the same to ensure safety of athletes during sports events/activities.