David GOMBE
Former referee Richard Kimbowa has blamed the administrators in Ugandan football for growing cases of match fixing.
While appearing on Uganda Fan TV, Kimbowa revealed that the working conditions for referees in Uganda are not favourable.
“Match fixing is like corruption in football, people should not look at referees as the worst in football. Questions should not be why Ugandan referees appear in cases of match fixing but what conditions do they work in.”
“Referees in Uganda invest a lot in themselves but when it comes to payments, they are the least catered for. Payments are little and don’t come in time.”
Said Kimbowa before adding,
“Ugandan Referees are like an adopted child, imagine being a referee of a certain game when the players on the pitch have just received huge sums of money through sign on fee yet the man in charge has no transport. This can tempt that person into a bad habit due to desperation.”
Kimbowa also believes clubs that benefit from match fixing should also be banned just like referees, players and administrators.
“If referees, footballers and administrators are all banned, what happens to the clubs that benefited from match fixing. We saw Juventus being demoted for such but here, nothing happens.” Stated Kimbowa.
Kimbowa, a medical doctor by profession was also banned by the Federation for two years for alleged match fixing. He currently lives in the United States.
Kimbowa on Match Fixing https://www.youtube.com/live/dl-iLx5VTms?si=fgfZ6iVqgw3fN6gh
