A sentence not exceeding five years awaits any perpetrators of the image and broadcasting rights in the freshly inducted Sports Act that was assented to by President Yoweri Museveni.
This implies that an individual or company must seek permission from the respective federation before airing an event, including live TV coverage and live streams.
“A person who, without the authorization of a national sports association or a national sports federation, captures by the camera the still or moving pictures or records by an audio recorder,” Section 60 of the Sports Law provides before adding.
“Activities at an event or competition organized by a national sports association or a national sports federation, for commercial purposes, commits an offence.”
The section adds: “And is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred and twenty currency points or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.”
“Court may, in addition to the penalty imposed, order the person to pay the affected national sports association or national sports federation damages and compensation for the loss suffered by the national sports association or the national sports federation.”
President Museveni approved the New National Sports Bill that replaced the 1964 National Council of Sports Act.
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has had conflicts with other companies over broadcasting rights, the most notable being the Azam incident in 2022.
The new law thus makes it clear that for every event under the jurisdictions of a particular association, the latter shall give image and broadcasting rights.
