By Ronnie Okot
The Pool Association of Uganda (PAU) is making significant efforts to expand its membership base in a bid to meet the requirements for federation status under the recently enacted 2023 Sports Law.
The law mandates that sports associations must cover at least 50 percent of the country to be recognized by the government, while federations are required to have 75 percent national coverage.
Speaking at the Women’s Day Pool Tournament held in Kitgum Municipality, PAU General Secretary Paul Wasike emphasized the importance of transitioning into a federation to elevate the sport’s profile and enable global competitiveness.
“We are focused on spreading the game to every corner of Uganda. Just weeks ago, we organized championships in Fort Portal and Jinja,” he remarked.
The Women’s Day event, hosted in Kitgum, was part of PAU’s strategy to foster the sport’s growth in the Acholi sub-region, which boasts the second-highest number of female players in the country after Kampala.
Despite these efforts, Deborah Ibenu, PAU’s Secretary for Women’s Affairs, highlighted the challenges women players face, including financial constraints and persistent stereotypes labeling pool as a pastime for idlers.
“The perception is even tougher on women, despite pool being a respected sport globally,” she pointed out.
Meanwhile, Rashida Mutesi, fresh off her victory at the Grand Open Championship, continued her impressive form by defeating Rosette Kirabo 7-2 in the final to claim the Women’s Day title.
