Para-badminton gets Plascon backing

The seventh edition of the Uganda Para-Badminton International 2024 has received a Shs35m boost courtesy of Plascon Uganda.

The annual tournament that was only hampered by the two bouts of Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021, due July 1 to 7, at the Lugogo Indoor Arena will entertain 250 players from Africa and elsewhere: India, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Israel, among others.

“We want to support sports, basically teams that struggle to get sponsorship,” said Santosh Gumte, managing director Plascon Uganda, at the paint manufacturer’s quarters on Second Street Industrial Area today.

“A couple of days we were approached to support this tournament. It was not something we had budgeted for but because we had never supported badminton or any para-tournament, we couldn’t say no to this. And we are very happy to be partners with them.”  

What’s more, this is not a one-off: “We are looking through their calendar to see what more things we can do together next year,” added Gumte, whose company is one of the biggest sponsors of Ugandan sports entities.

“We know there’s a lot of potential and commitment among Ugandan athletes but all they need is support to scale greater heights.” 

Simon Mugabi, CEO Uganda Badminton Federation, said the sponsorship— a bigger part of which will be in terms of equipment—will help a great deal in sorting the attires of players and umpires.  

“We are privileged to be associated with a big company like Plascon. I promise that we won't disappoint you.”

Mugabi also prays that Uganda’s top seeds like Tokyo 2020 Paralympian Rita Asiimwe, Sumin Mutesi, Elizabeth Mwesigwa, Ali Mukasa, Hassan Mubiru, and Sarah Nazziwa, among others, improve on their 2023 performance