Taban Amin, the eldest son of former Uganda President Idi Amin Dada, has asked government to prioritiseand increase funding for sports if Uganda wishes to win more Olympic gold medals.
Until Stephen Kiprotich’s 2012 Olympic Games marathon win, Uganda had lost won an Olympic gold medal in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, during President Idi Amin’s rule.
Amin said this while he was in Arua to oversee organization for memorial prayers marking nine years since the former president died. Idi Amin was in Saudi Arabian exile when he passed away August 16th, 2003.
He was responding to Steven Kiprotich’s historic win, 40 years after John Akii Bua’s triumph.
Amin urged the government to increase funding for sports. He said the money allocated in the budget should be specifically for talent development.
Although Amin congratulated Kiprotich on his win, he added that the people of Arua were unhappy that their own-Dorcus Inzikuru had not received such honours when she represented the country. He said such selective appreciation could make people wonder if their own contributions were not valued.
Dorcus Inzikuru is a 3000 metressteeplechase gold medalist. She won the title in 2005 at World Championship repeated the feat at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
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