Following a dramatic 40-39 loss to KCCA Netball Club in the highly anticipated return of the Uganda Netball Women’s Super League, NIC head coach Rashid Mubiru did not mince words.
Instead of focusing on his team’s performance, the veteran tactician turned his frustration toward the match officials, questioning the quality and consistency of the officiating.
“When you look at the way they are officiating the game, it’s not according to international rules,” Mubiru fumed post-match.
“What they are doing is something funny on the court, somebody comes and hits from the first quarter to the second quarter and the umpire does not warn.”
He went on to stress that intentional fouls should have been properly penalized.
“The rules say if somebody does something intentionally, you have to warn or you advance the penalty.”
Mubiru’s comments came in the aftermath of what was undoubtedly the game of the day, as KCCA edged out the record league champions NIC in a match filled with momentum swings, standout performances and late drama.
Despite a strong third-quarter rally that saw NIC overturn a halftime deficit and take a 30-27 lead, it was KCCA who had the last laugh thanks to defensive heroics and a last-second goal from star shooter Shadia Nassanga.
This isn’t the first time NIC have faltered to KCCA at the start of a season. In the 2022/23 campaign, they also lost the opening leg to the same opponents and never fully recovered, ultimately missing out on the title.
Mubiru’s remarks suggest that unless officiating standards improve, he fears a similar narrative may unfold again.
