Musagala’s warning: How poor contracts are draining Uganda’s athletics talent
Ronald Musagala during world championships
By skika reporter.
For years, Ronald Musagala has carried Uganda’s flag across tracks in Africa and beyond, lining up against some of the world’s best middle-distance runners. From the outside, his career looks like a success story—frequent international travel, elite competitions and a place among the country’s top athletes.
Behind the scenes, however, Musagala says his journey has been marked by financial loss, broken trust and deep frustration.
Like many elite athletes, Musagala believed signing with a management agency would reduce his struggles, handle logistics and guarantee fair earnings from international races. Instead, he says, the arrangement exposed him to financial exploitation that left him demoralised and nearly empty-handed.
“People assume that once you are running abroad, you are well off,” Musagala said. “The truth is very different. I am broke.”
He recalls being presented with a contract he did not fully understand, but felt pressured to sign. Trusting that the deal would advance his career, Musagala says he agreed without seeking legal advice.
That decision, he says, proved costly.
According to Musagala, he signed to compete for about Shs54 million (USD 15,000), but eventually received only Shs18 million (USD 5,000). Repeated efforts to claim the balance yielded nothing.
“When I demanded my full payment, it never came,” he said. “It affected me mentally and killed my motivation to run.”
Musagala now believes his experience is not unique, but part of a broader crisis quietly affecting Ugandan athletics. Many athletes, he says, reach the end of their careers with medals and memories—but no financial security.
His case highlights a structural weakness within the sport, where talented runners often enter professional arrangements without adequate education or protection. Illiteracy and limited legal awareness leave athletes exposed to managers who prioritise profit over welfare.
Veteran athletics coach Fred Cherich says he has seen several athletes fall into similar traps.
“Some runners go for competitions thinking there is prize money, only to be told later that they signed up for races with no financial reward,” Cherich explained.
He added that even when athletes win, management costs often consume most of the earnings.
“Expenses like air tickets, accommodation and food are deducted first, then management takes its percentage,” he said. “In the end, athletes are left paying for everything themselves.”
Cherich urged athletes to stop assuming that management services are free and called for better guidance before contracts are signed.
Uganda Athletics (UA) vice president for technical matters, Benjamin Njia, agrees that lack of education is at the core of the problem. He says many athletes sign lengthy contracts they cannot read or interpret.
“They are simply shown where to sign,” Njia said. “Later, they realise the agreement does not protect their interests.”
Njia noted that UA’s safeguarding policy is intended to regulate athlete–manager relationships and ensure athletes understand their rights and obligations.
Musagala hopes the federation and government authorities will move faster to enforce such protections. He believes young athletes need structured support, contract interpretation and financial education to prevent careers from ending in regret.
As Uganda continues to produce world-class runners, voices within the sport warn that talent alone is not enough. Without strong safeguards, the country risks celebrating victories on the track while its athletes struggle off it—long after the applause has faded.
