UGANDA Trends and Developments Contributed by: Timothy Kajja, Nanyonjo Janet Pheobe and Jolly Kibalama, Engoru, Mutebi Advocates
• Must be licensed by NCS with approval from the relevant federation. • Child welfare must be protected. Uganda Olympic Committee: • Continues to exist but must recognise only NCS- registered bodies. Anti-doping: • Creates a national anti-doping organisation (NADO). • Doping is fully prohibited, including possession of banned substances. Dispute resolution: • Sports disputes between associations/federations and their members must go to arbitration only. • Constitutions lacking this clause are invalid. Commercial rights: • Associations, federations, and their members own commercial rights (media, image and sponsorship). • Athletes’ commercial rights are protected and require consent. Betting and match manipulation: • Certain individuals (athletes, coaches, referees and club employees) cannot bet on related sports. • Offences include allowing betting without authori - sation or manipulating match results. Minors in sport: • Minors aged 16+ can compete with adults but need written parental consent. Public sports facilities: • All public sports facilities and their land vest in the Council; cannot be sold or leased. Key concerns highlighted • Presence thresholds (50%/75%) may be unrealistic for less popular sports. • Athlete commercial rights need more detailed regulation. • Mandatory parental consent wording may conflict with children’s rights principles. • Silence on employment of minors in sport.
• Schools may not be able to meet the 15-sport requirement. • “Sports disputes” is undefined, potentially causing confusion. • Betting prohibitions should possibly include com - mentators. National Sports (Amendment) Bill 2024 President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has signed the National Sports (Amendment) Bill 2024 into law. The bill – passed by Parliament on 19 December 2024 and assented to on 27 January 2025 – strengthens Ugan - da’s anti-doping framework to meet global standards. The new law ensures the independence of the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) and formally aligns Uganda’s regulations with the World Anti-Doping Code. These changes were necessary after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found Uganda’s previous rules non-compliant, which had put Ugandan athletes at risk of being banned from international competi - tions. By adopting these amendments, Uganda now fully complies with its obligations under the UNESCO Inter - national Convention against Doping in Sport. The leg - islation also protects Uganda’s rights to host major sports tournaments, including CHAN and AFCON, and ensures athletes remain eligible for global events. Conclusion Sport in Africa is undergoing a decisive transforma - tion – from fragmented, largely amateur structures to a professionalised, commercially driven, and globally integrated industry. This evolution has placed law at the heart of governance, athlete welfare, commercial activity, and technological innovation. While challeng - es remain across regulation, funding, safeguarding, migration, and gender equity, the continent is stead - ily building stronger legal frameworks, from continen - tal bodies like the AUSC to national reforms such as Uganda’s National Sports Act. As Africa embraces new models of governance, invests in infrastructure, and adapts to emerging technologies, the develop - ment of coherent, credible, and future-ready sports law will be essential to sustaining growth, protecting athletes, and positioning African sport as a competi - tive force on the world stage.
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