CHESS TEAM UGANDA POSTS MIXED RESULTS AT THE 45TH CHESS OLYMPIAD IN BUDAPEST HUNGARY.

Budapest, Hungary – Team Uganda has experienced a mixture of successes and setbacks at the 45th Chess
Olympiad, taking place from September 10 to September 23, 2024. The event is set to culminate on
September 22, and while the Chess Cranes & She Cranes have shown resilience, they have also faced
significant hurdles.

The team faced some challenges at the start due to delays in government funding and early visa issues,
which meant they missed the first two rounds. However, the teams showed remarkable resilience by
bouncing back and achieving a series of wins in Round 3, 4 & 5. Their determination to succeed within the
Swiss system format is truly commendable!

Despite this promising recovery, the rounds from 6 to 10 proved challenging, with the teams experiencing
mixed results. The situation was further complicated when four team members fell ill, leading to low
morale heading into the penultimate round. In a tense match against Nigeria in round 10, Team Uganda
salvaged a 2-2 draw.

Compounding these challenges, the players have yet to receive any allowances, which has only added to
their struggles. Reports indicate that out of the 132 billion Uganda shillings released for the sports sector
this quarter, the Uganda Chess Federation (UCF) has received no financial support. Most funding has
reportedly been directed towards the Paris Olympics and football, raising concerns about fairness and the
need for resources to be allocated to federations that deliver results.
Additionally, the Olympiad offers opportunities for improving technical capacity & representation; Ivy
Amoko is campaigning for reelection to the constitutional commission, while Takali Milly recently
completed a fair play expert course, aiming to increase the number of fair play officials in Uganda.
As the tournament comes to an end, Team Uganda remains hopeful for a timely financial release to cover
outstanding costs related to their participation in the Olympiad & other previous activities. The players
continue to show patriotism and dedication, underscoring the importance of timely funding to support
their efforts. In the Final round the Chess Cranes will face off with Pakistan as below;

The team’s journey at the Chess Olympiad is a testament to their resilience of UCF and commitment of
players to representing Uganda on the global stage, despite the challenges they face. The Uganda Chess
She Cranes will face Guam in the final round is shown below;

The general Assembly & congress are also underway with Uganda in attendance as well.
We thank all supporters of the chess teams at the world chess Olympiad. Together we make Uganda a
great sporting nation.
For more details, follow the link; https://chess-results.com/tnr967173.aspx?lan=1
The Writer is
Eng. Mwaka Emmanuel
President: Uganda Chess Federation