The Sports Act

THE SPORT ACT NO. 25 OF 2013 LAWS OF KENYA

Before 2013, sports and sporting activities in Kenya had no definable laws governing their operation and functions. Each sport/sporting activity was a law unto itself without any specific management and/or laid down procedures for its conduct. Without proper structures, sports in Kenya was open to mismanagement of resources, misuse of athletes and/or funds, abuse of office and personalization of organizations for individual benefit at the expense of athletes.

There are several Acts of Parliament connected to sports. However, the main statute is The Sports Act No. 25 of 2013.

The Sports Act is an Act of Parliament whose purpose, as outlined under its short title, is “…. to harness sports for development, encourage and promote drug-free sports and recreation; to provide for the establishment of sports institutions, facilities, administration and management of sports in the country and for connected purposes”.

The Act, which was assented to on 14th January 2013, came into force on 1st August 2013.

How is the Sports Act enforced?

To facilitate and realize the objectives of the Act, it establishes several institutions whose main mandate is the management of sports in Kenya. These are:-

1. Sports Kenya

2. The National Sports Fund

3. The Academy of Sports

4. The Registrar of Sports

5. The Sports Disputes Tribunal

While these institutions work together and are interconnected in one way or another, each has its own special members and functions which are outlined under the Act.

Sports has over 20 disciplines recognized by the Olympic and Commonwealth games. As such, there was a crucial need to have in place laws, which would facilitate the efficient management of mainstream sports in Kenya such as basketball, football, rugby, etc, and to ensure the effective and practical development of all other sports disciplines that are still relatively new in the country.

I shall examine each of the five institutions listed above in greater detail in subsequent blog posts with regard to their mandate, and with reference to their functions in specific current and past sporting events/activities/incidences or happenings in the various sports disciplines in Kenya.