Onduparaka Football Club have issued a statement addressing their failure to honor the Uganda Cup Round of 64 fixture against Bushenyi Veterans, a situation that led to their disqualification from the tournament.
In the statement, the West Nile-based club cited their commitment to the Agau Rashid Memorial match, scheduled for January 18, 2025, as the primary reason for missing the Uganda Cup tie on January 16.
The memorial event honors Rashid Agau, a former Onduparaka player who passed away while still an active member of the team.
According to the club, significant financial and human resources had been invested in organizing the memorial match, making it impossible to field a team for the Uganda Cup fixture.
Onduparaka emphasized the cultural and emotional significance of the memorial, describing it as a critical event to honor Agau’s legacy and reinforce their bond with the West Nile community.
“Our people in West Nile are our strongest supporters,” the statement read. “By participating in the Agau Rashid Memorial match, we aim to celebrate the life and legacy of one of our own.”
Onduparaka revealed they had formally requested a rescheduling of their Uganda Cup match after the memorial date but were denied by the FUFA Competitions Director.
Despite their efforts to resolve the scheduling conflict, FUFA maintained that the fixture had to proceed as planned.
This marks the second year in a row that Onduparaka has forfeited a Uganda Cup match at the Round of 64 stage.
Last season, the club failed to honor their fixture against Kyambura Rasters, citing transportation challenges.
Bushenyi Veterans, who were ready to host the game at Bushenyi Main Stadium, were awarded a walkover victory, advancing to the Round of 32 without kicking a ball.
