Despite inquiring about the International Judo Championship held in Las Vegas, Nevada last week, the Ugandan side did not attend the tournament.

Pat Nading-Amman, the tournament director, said that a number of African teams expressed interest, but in the end only a side from Cameroon and one Nigerian man currently living in the United States represented the continent.

Neither Nading-Amman nor USA Judo Director of Operations John Miller could say why the Uganda team did not attend. They did say that in the past, many African teams that intended to participate have been unable to secure U.S. entry visas. Nading-Amman speculated that after the terrorist attacks on the United States, visas were even harder to come by than in previous years.

David Katana, secretary of the Uganda Judo Association, told The Sunday Monitor last month that the tournament organisers would provide accommodation and internal transport to participating teams, but that the Uganda team was struggling to pay for airfare.

However, he said they were asking several people for assistance. "We expect them to come to our rescue and the team will definitely travel to the US," Katana said.

The tournament was held Oct. 13-14 at the Cashman Centre. Over 300 athletes from 28 countries attended.

Rameau Thie Sokoudjou-nkamhoua of Cameroon won the Men's Open Division and a gold medal, leading his nation to a tie for the fifth-best showing, with Japan. Maje Omagbaluwaje, the Nigerian participant, placed fifth in the men's 81kg division and won a bronze medal.