Uganda Cranes finally train after pay dispute ends

Uganda Cranes players finally stepped out of their Radisson Blu Hotel in Cairo after over five hours of back and forth meetings and headed for training ahead of Friday night's knockout tie against Senegal.

The players had been holed up at the hotel in a meeting of their own after one between them, government and Fufa had ended in a stalemate.

As the meetings went on in Cairo, Fufa also released a statement in Kampala saying they had offered to pay an extra on top of what was due.

“Fufa has agreed to pay 6,000 USD (per player) over and above the agreed terms in the Code of Conduct and that matters of finances will not be discussed until the end of Uganda cranes participation in the tournament. This position has been duly communicated to the Players,” a statement read in part.

However, sources tell Daily Monitor that this $6,000 (Sh600,000) was agreed already by Fufa for advancing to the knockout stage way before the strike.

Now, in a meeting between players, government and Fufa in Cairo, the players agreed to come out and train but when the federation set certain conditions for them, they retracted.

We could not establish those conditions.

The players then went into their own meeting, asking the rest to leave. Cranes coach Sebastien Desabre and his staff were in the hotel lobby waiting. The team bus and security also stayed stationed outside.

But after several twists and turns the players boarded the bus and left the hotel for training.

“A lot of our money has been swindled,” claimed one of the senior players. “The $10,000 promised when the team qualifies for Africa Cup of Nations 2019 has never been paid.”