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Two sports federations are facing possible deregistration after the National Council of Sports (NCS) found they submitted falsified financial documents during Uganda’s biggest sports governance reform.
The Uganda Dragon Boat Federation and Uganda Canoe Kayak Federation are under investigation after NCS discovered they presented fake audited financial statements on two separate occasions.
The NCS Board has given both organisations a chance to explain the discrepancies. If their explanations fail to satisfy the board, their registration applications will be rejected, their Certificates of Recognition revoked and they could face civil or criminal action.
The revelations came as NCS announced that only 11 of Uganda’s national sports organisations have met the requirements of the National Sports Act, Cap. 151, following the end of the first five-month compliance period on June 7.
The registration exercise, which included document reviews, inspections across 115 districts and public hearings, is part of government efforts to improve accountability and governance in sport.
Only Netball Uganda, the Pool Association of Uganda, FUFA, Uganda DanceSport Federation, Badminton Uganda, Uganda Athletics, Uganda Chess Federation, Uganda Table Tennis Association, Uganda Tennis Association, Uganda Boxing Federation and FUBA have been granted one-year Certificates of Registration.
Another seven federations are one step away from registration. The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of Uganda, Uganda Woodball Federation, Uganda Squash Rackets Association, Uganda Golf Union, Kabaddi Federation of Uganda, Uganda Aquatics and Uganda Rugby must first undergo final verification to confirm the sports have genuine participation across the country.
Several other federations have been handed one last month to fix outstanding compliance issues. NCS warned that those which fail to meet the deadline will lose their Certificates of Recognition under the National Sports Act and the National Sports Regulations, 2025.
Four federations have already run out of time. Uganda Wrestling Federation, Uganda Taekwondo Federation, Scrabble Association of Uganda and Uganda Fencing Association failed to submit any compliance documents before the June 7 deadline, prompting NCS to begin revocation proceedings.
The exercise has also exposed deeper governance concerns. NCS received 20 objections against eight federations over leadership disputes, financial accountability, constitutional irregularities and national reach.
Uganda Boxing Federation and Uganda Table Tennis Association resolved the issues raised against them and secured registration. Cricket Uganda and the Uganda Draughts Federation, however, still have compliance issues to settle before their review windows close later this month and in August.
Six organisations never submitted applications before the June 2025 deadline and now face automatic loss of recognition. They are Uganda Ultimate Frisbee Association, Uganda Floorball Association, Uganda Deaf Sports Federation, Association of Uganda University Sports, Uganda Rolball Association and Uganda Body Building and Fitness Association.
The reforms will also reshape sports funding. From the 2026/27 financial year, only registered sports organisations will qualify for government funding through NCS. Federations that fail to register will lose access to government grants, official recognition and NCS programmes, although athletes may still receive support through the Uganda Olympic Committee or Uganda Paralympic Committee.
NCS says the registration exercise is intended to build more transparent and accountable sports federations. General Secretary Dr Bernard Ogwel also confirmed that government has ended the long-standing practice of ring-fencing funding for sports federations, meaning future support will depend on compliance with the law.
