Mukono Kings Disqualified from USSSA Girls' Football Championship Amid Eligibility Row

Mukono Kings’ impressive run in the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Ball Games girls’ football championship ended suddenly due to disqualification over player eligibility issues.

The team from Mukono had started strongly, remaining unbeaten and topping the goal charts with 21 scored and zero conceded. Highlights included a dominant 4-0 win against St Andrew’s Rubindi at Our Lady of Africa grounds and a record 17-0 demolition of Jubilee 2000 Karenga, led by forwards Vanessa Naggayi and Concy Gume.

Controversy erupted during the Rubindi match when opponents questioned a player’s eligibility. Officials flagged Salimah Nankwanga, wearing shirt number 18, who was not in the official USSSA album and allegedly played for Kayunga Public in qualifiers. Mukono Kings failed to produce her for verification.

Despite this, they played their final group game, losing 3-0 to Kawempe Muslim SS at UCU Stadium but still eyeing a Round of 32 spot. Captain Sarah Nakyanzi stayed positive, vowing to push for the East African Games.

However, a disciplinary ruling forced the team to leave camp at Seroma Christian High School, handing Jinja SS a bye. Coach Mohammed Kigozi claimed it was a documentation mix-up, as the player was hospitalized and officials refused to remove her name.

The disqualification raises fears of further penalties for the school. Among Mukono’s four teams, only Latifah Mixed and Homestone remain competitive, while hosts Seroma dropped to classification matches.

Meanwhile, appeals seek to pause the tournament at Round of 16 due to national U-20 Queen Cranes players, like Kawempe’s Agnes Nabukenya and St. Noa Girls’ Lillian Nakirya, being away for World Cup qualifiers against Ghana, with the return leg on May 9.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)