Uganda gay purge puts football coach on spot

Published on Saturday 27 June 2009 19:44

A SCOTTISH football manager could lose his job leading an African football team unless he signs a form condemning gays.

Bobby Williamson, the former Rangers and West Bromwich star who is now head coach of the Ugandan national squad, has been asked to take part in an anti-sodomy offensive in the country, where homosexuality is illegal.

Williamson, along with every other football coach in the country, must sign a code of conduct which "denounces any support or involvement in sodomy related acts".

The game's ruling body acted after Isaac Omalla, a player with Horizon FC, reported his manager, Charles Ayeko, to the police, claiming to have been sexually assaulted by the older man following a match during the inter-regional championships in Lira.

Ugandan newspapers have alleged there is a homosexual culture among some players.

Williamson's employers, the Ugandan FA (FUFA), have now launched a campaign against homosexuality, insisting that all coaches take part. "We are going to address (sodomy] in the code of conduct," said Stone Kyambadde, the vice-chairman of the Ugandan Coaches Association.

"The code will denounce any support or involvement in sodomy-related acts."

He was backed up by FUFA spokesman, Rogers Mulindwa. "We totally condemn it," he said. "We want evidence to pin the people involved. It's here that we will start the clean-up."

Williamson, who has managed Kilmarnock, Hibernian, Plymouth Argyle and Chester City, replaced Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo in the Ugandan post last year. He was back in Scotland last week to see his daughter graduate from Glasgow University.

FUFA's document represents something of a moral dilemma for the 47-year-old Scot, who has spoken out against discrimination during his managerial career. He is popular in Kampala, leading The Cranes to victory in the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in January, their first such success for six years.

"Sodomy is a criminal offence over there but this is the first I've heard of any code of conduct," he said. "Until FUFA speak to me about that it's a hypothetical matter and I'll reserve my views until I'm approached.

"What I will say is that you have to abide by the law of the land in whichever country you happen to be working in.

"There has been a lot of talk about homosexuality in the game in Uganda and I've heard stories, but I'm not aware of any evidence of it. What I do know is that most politicians and football officials seem to be strongly against it."

However, FUFA's actions are unlikely to win the approval of FIFA, the sport's ultimate governing body. While no one at their Zurich headquarters was available for comment, their policy is one of inclusion.

The Ugandan football authorities have acted even though the country could be expelled from FIFA if it attempts to enforce the policy.