Uganda’s journey to badminton glory began in 2017 with the ambition to host the international para-badminton championships on African soil. This dream materialized in 2018 with the successful hosting of the continental championships.
While Egypt has recently hosted the para-badminton scene (February 2024), Uganda remains a regional leader, and now Nigeria, Ghana, and Egypt are all vying to host the 2025 continental championships.
Despite eight years of hosting and experience, Uganda’s best international performance remains a silver medal, most recently claimed by Nazziwa Sarah at the Uganda International Para-Badminton Championships, where Uganda collected another 5 bronze medals.
Most of the medals for Uganda have come from continental championships. In 2018 Khamuka khadijja won gold in the women’s singles, while Khamuka khadijja and Rose Nansereko won gold in the women’s doubles ( SL4 +SU5).
In Africa para badminton championships of 2022 gold came from Elizabeth Mwesigwa in SL3, Hassan Mubiru in SL4 and Rita Asimwe in SU5. The 2023 Africa para badminton championship gold came from Sarah Nazziwa.
Although Uganda has excelled in Africa para badminton championships, international success remains elusive as numerous challenges hinder the progress of the players.
Equipment Shortages Cripple Para-Badminton Athletes
A critical bottleneck for Uganda’s para-badminton players is a severe lack of specialized equipment. Some Para badminton athletes particularly suffer from outdated and insufficient wheelchairs, hindering their performance and potentially causing injuries.
These wheel chairs were donated to Uganda by Agitos Foundation in 2018, were just for the sport development and not to be used in competitions as it is now.
With over 10 wheelchair badminton players Uganda has only three wheelchairs and for one to go on court, he or she has to wait for the busy wheel chair just in time for the game, thus missing out on the crucial warm up period.
During training as the players prepare for the tournaments, only the few will get a chance of using those three wheelchairs while the majority will not until their matches start.
Due to the heavy price tag of these wheelchairs, none of Uganda’s para badminton players can afford buying one. The moderately priced wheelchair can go for 5000 US dollars before import chargers.
Nazziwa’s dream cut short
For athletes like Sarah Nazziwa who have spinal issues, it becomes hard for them to compete favorably using a wheelchair that does not have back support.
In the concluded Uganda international para badminton championship, Nazziwa’s dream of winning her first Gold Medal in these championships was cut short due to the ”substandard wheel chair” she used against brazil’s Juscilela De Carvalho Silva.
Having won her first set 21- 18, Nazziwa kept Uganda’s hopes alive until it changed in the last two sets when her opponent took advantage over her “katwe made” wheelchair that was heavy, with limited speed and could not allow her bend backward. She wventually lost the game and settled for silver.
In simple terms playing using Uganda’s wheelchairs is like going for racing with a vitz model car competing with a driver who has the latest Subaru model and you expect to win.
Inadequate Training and Coaching
As it is with many sports disciplines in Uganda lacking training facilities, for para badminton players the plight is even worse.
Few training centers are located in the city centre leaving para badminton players who are far from the city with no choice but foregoing their training sessions.
For the players accessing the training centres, supporting facilities like toilets were not designed for para players and this is a big inconvenience and applies to almost all the training centers apart from Lugogo indoor stadium.
Most training centers do not cater for the wheelchair players with the halls of these centers having badminton carpets on the floors, leaving no space for wheelchair players.
Additionally, the scarcity of coaches specializing in para-badminton hampers player development and limits the potential for improvement. Currently Uganda has over 80 para badminton players but most coaches prefer training able-bodied players.
Lack of chemistry in player partnerships
For doubles and mixed doubles players it is vital that the partners train together but due to varying challenges this is a rarity and affcets preparations ahead of international and continental championships.
The para-players who are serious with their training face a challenge of training with people who are not of their category. In most cases once these para players get to the training centres, their training partners are always able-bodied players whose style of play, speed and movement are totally different from the para-players.
Transportation and Societal Barriers
Generally Uganda’s transport system does not cater for people with disability and this has affected many of the would be good para-badminton players. For a para player to travel to the training centres or Lugogo for an event, he or she has to bear the road challenges.
Some of the players revealed to Nnalubale sports that where a typical person takes a taxi for 5000 Ugx, these players are charged double ( 10000 Ugx) and those with wheel chairs are often left on the road by the taxes because of the wheelchairs they move with.
Sarah Nazziwa says they are forced to pay for 2 seats one for the person and another one for the wheelchair, that is if God is on your side but on many occasions they are left on the road saying they will delay other passengers.
The model of taxis and buses that are in Uganda’s transport sector does not favour these para players and exposes them to many risks. Most prefer travelling using the shared motorcycles (boda bodas) to reduce the costs and avoid discriminations.
With all the transport challenges, many of the players have decided to quit the sport and those who are still active resorted to travel only when there are events.
Lack of Support from family and UBA
Many of Uganda’s para-badminton players are being affected by the negative attitude of their families . These families see no value in their sons and daughters taking part in the sports with many players being forced out to pursue other endeavors.
The players who persist and continue with the sport without the support from their families, they end up facing all manner of challenges in the name of raising Uganda’s flag.
According to the Uganda Badminton Association (UBA) CEO, Simon Mugabi, all players have to take care of themselves – looking for training centres, finding coaches , transportation and buying their own wheelchairs among others.
”As the Association we only come in when it is a national team issue like when Uganda is invited for any outside para badminton tournaments like world championships and other foreign events where Uganda is invited but for the local events like Africa para badminton championship and Uganda international para badminton championship we are not giving a hand to these players because they register as individuals but not like team Uganda” Mugabi told this website.
Despite the fact that these players have many hindrances, a lot has been done by the association to see that players’ performance improves with the most recent being the para badminton coaches course that was hosted by Uganda and organized by the World Badminton Federation and a number of Uganda’s coaches were able to take part.
Photo Credit: Gonzaga Kakeeto
