BAHRAIN Law and Practice Contributed by: Sultan bin Nasser Alsowaidi
pension or permanent exclusion, separate from any criminal exposure under national law. Information Sharing and Integrity Protection As there is no lawful domestic betting industry, Bah - rain’s sports organisations do not typically engage in integrity information-sharing arrangements with licensed betting operators. Integrity protection relies on internal monitoring, reporting and education, together with institutional co-ordination within the national sports ecosystem. Noteworthy Cases There are limited publicly disclosed Bahraini cases involving formal sanctions for sports betting offences, which is consistent with the absence of a legal betting market. Offshore online betting remains a practical risk factor and reinforces the importance of awareness and monitoring. 1.4 Disciplinary Framework Overall Approach Disciplinary procedures for doping, integrity and bet - ting violations are primarily administered through sports regulations and federation statutes, operating alongside (but separate from) general criminal law where relevant. Doping proceedings Doping matters are managed under Decision No (6) of 2022 and administered by BNADO in line with the World Anti-Doping Code process. Typical steps include sample collection (in and out of competition), results management, notification, the right to request B-sample analysis, and the opportunity to submit explanations and evidence. Decisions are issued by the competent anti-doping disciplinary body, with appeal routes available internally and, where applica - ble, onward to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Integrity and betting proceedings Integrity and betting-related matters are generally initi - ated by the relevant federation following a complaint or detection of suspicious conduct. The federation’s disciplinary or ethics bodies investigate, provide the accused with an opportunity to be heard, and impose sanctions where violations are established. Referral to state authorities may follow where conduct potentially
constitutes a criminal offence, including gambling- related offences. Procedural safeguards Across categories, decision-making is expected to observe basic fairness standards, including notice of allegations, the right to present a defence and a struc - tured appeal mechanism.
2. Commercial Rights 2.1 Sports-Related Rights Scope of Commercial Rights
Beyond sponsorship and broadcasting, Bahraini sports entities typically commercialise rights through general contract principles and internal federation rules, rather than a dedicated sports commercial- rights statute. The scale of the local market influences both the sophistication and revenue potential of these rights. Merchandising Clubs and federations exploit merchandising through ownership of names, logos and trade marks. Com - mercialisation is commonly structured through licens - ing arrangements with manufacturers and retailers, supported by trade mark and copyright protection and enforcement against unauthorised use. Hospitality Corporate hospitality exists but is generally limited to major events and special tournaments. It is usually arranged through straightforward contractual pack - ages rather than a highly standardised, large-volume hospitality market. Ticketing and secondary sales Ticketing is typically managed by event organisers under internal conditions of entry. Many events are free or priced at nominal levels to encourage attend - ance, meaning ticket revenue is not consistently treat - ed as a major commercial stream. A formal secondary ticket market is not regulated or formally recognised; organisers may restrict resale through ticket terms. Fraudulent resale or deception is generally addressed through applicable general criminal and civil law rem - edies.
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