THE SPORTS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2026

Background

This Bill's primary objective is to amend the Sports Act, Cap. 223, to specifically prohibit and criminalize the manipulation of sports competitions, thereby safeguarding the integrity of sports within Kenya. The amendments introduce new definitions, assign specific investigative and reporting duties to Sports Kenya, and establish penalties for individuals and organizations involved in sports manipulation.

Key Amendments

Amendment of Section 2 of Cap. 223 (Interpretation)

Clause 2 of the Bill inserts a new definition for "manipulation of a sports competition" into Section 2 of the principal Act. This definition encompasses a range of actions, including:

• Offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving undue advantage to improperly influence the result, progress, conduct, or any other aspect of a sports competition.
• Conspiring to manipulate or participating in the manipulation of a sporting event.
• Intentionally failing to perform to the best of one's abilities to achieve a pre-determined outcome.
• Misusing insider information for betting or manipulation purposes.
• Facilitating, inducing, or threatening a person to engage in manipulation of a sports competition.

Amendment of Section 4 of Cap. 223 (Functions of Sports Kenya)

Clause 3 of the Bill amends Section 4 of the principal Act by adding new paragraphs (pa) and (pb) immediately after paragraph (p), and inserting a new subsection (2). Sports Kenya will now:

• Receive reports from any person who suspects acts of manipulation in any sports competition.
• Conduct investigations of alleged manipulation in sports competition in collaboration with other investigative agencies.
• Ensure that investigations referred to in paragraph (pb) are conducted within six months of receiving the report on manipulation of a sports competition.

Amendment of Section 58 of Cap. 223 (Jurisdiction of the Tribunal)

Clause 4 of the Bill amends Section 58 of the principal Act to include appeals from decisions of Sports Kenya related to the manipulation of sports competitions within the jurisdiction of the Sports Tribunal.

New Obligations

Prohibition of Sports Competition Manipulation

Clause 5 introduces a new Section 64A, which explicitly prohibits the manipulation of sports competitions. This new section establishes an obligation on all persons to refrain from directly or indirectly participating in, aiding, enabling, or assisting in such manipulation.

Reporting and Investigation of Manipulation

Sports Kenya is newly obligated to receive reports concerning suspected manipulation and to conduct investigations into these allegations within a strict six-month timeframe.

Penalties

Individual Penalties

Any person found guilty of manipulating a sports competition, or aiding in such manipulation, shall be liable, on conviction, to:

• Imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or
• A fine not exceeding KSh 1 million, or
• Both.

Organizational and Professional Sanctions

If a professional sportsperson or a club engages in manipulative conduct:

• The club or association to which they belong may be sanctioned with the forfeiture of the match in question or declared ineligible to participate in a different competition, provided the integrity of the competition is protected.
• Additionally, the offender (club or professional sportsperson) may be punished with disciplinary measures, including a lifetime ban from participation in regulated gaming or sporting events by the relevant regulatory body.

Forfeiture of Proceeds

Any proceeds or benefits obtained as a result of sports manipulation shall be subjected to forfeiture.