How a last-minute lifeline saved Uganda’s Olympic boxers

In a moment that still resonates with Uganda’s boxing community, leading athletics sponsor Michael Ezra made headlines in December 2003 when he came to the rescue of the national boxing team, fondly known as the Bombers, who were on the verge of abandoning their Olympic qualification campaign due to lack of funding.

With the 2004 Athens Olympics qualifiers looming, Ezra pledged to fully fund the team’s preparations and travel, declaring his commitment to reviving Ugandan boxing.

“I’m taking over the entire boxing in the country and boxers are never going to be needy again,” Ezra told the press at Hotel Africana in Kampala. “People never realise what it takes to make a winning team, but I will take it upon myself to do that.”

Ezra’s intervention came after Uganda failed to secure any Olympic slots at the All-Africa Games in Abuja. The team was now gearing up for two crucial qualification tournaments: one in Casablanca, Morocco (January 15–22, 2004), and another in Gaborone, Botswana (March 15–22, 2004).

To bolster preparations, Ezra announced the relocation of the Bombers’ training camp from Lugogo to a fully equipped gym in Hima, western Uganda. He also committed to covering all allowances and logistical needs.

“My efforts are to have them qualify. What matters to me is bringing medals home,” he added.

In a bid to professionalize the sport, Ezra launched the Ezra Boxing Board (EBB), chaired by Uganda Amateur Boxing Federation (UABF) president Vincent Byarugaba. The board included respected figures like David Agong, Dick Katende, Stephen Aciga Fula, Stephen Rwabogo, and Kent Musa, with John Kasaija appointed as overall coordinator.

This bold move marked a turning point in Uganda’s Olympic boxing ambitions, injecting hope and structure into a sport that had long struggled with funding and organization.