JKL Lady Dolphins have moved to clarify the controversy surrounding their National Basketball League fixture against KIU Rangers, insisting they did not refuse to play but simply followed the official schedule.
In a statement on Monday, the Mukono-based side said they arrived early for Saturday’s game at around 10:00 AM, well before the scheduled 2:00 PM tip-off.
They later say match officials verbally informed them that the game had been pushed to 5:00 PM, but without any written confirmation from FUBA or the Competitions Council.
The club maintains that any fixture change must be communicated officially and approved through proper channels. They also argue that match officials do not have authority to alter schedules unless in exceptional cases, which they say did not apply.
On that basis, JKL declined to take the court at the revised time, a decision that led to KIU Rangers being awarded a walkover.
“Declining to play at 5:00 PM was not refusal,” the club said. “We were following the official fixture time.”
JKL say they had already filed a formal protest to FUBA and the Competitions Council before the ruling, but did not get a timely response.
The incident has sparked debate in the basketball community over communication and match-day procedures.
Despite the dispute, the five time champions reaffirmed their commitment to the league and said they are ready to work with the governing bodies to resolve the matter.
The controversy comes at a difficult time for JKL, who had earlier asked for a two week break from fixtures as they tried to stabilize their squad.
According to SportsNation Uganda, they went into the match with only five available players at the initial tip off time, Ritah Imanishimwe, Tamasha Nsubuga, Prossy Nankya, Agnes Njeri, and Melinda Laker.
Several players were unavailable due to school commitments and exams, while others were dealing with personal issues.
Club director Fredricks “Freedom” Owora had earlier said the team requested postponements before the fixture list was released, citing injuries and academic commitments.
“We asked for postponements,” Owora said. “Other teams have had similar requests approved. There should be fairness.”
At one point, the club even threatened to withdraw from the league if their concerns were not addressed.
With the walkover now confirmed, the episode has shifted attention from the court to governance issues in the league, especially around communication and fixture management.
