In application of the provisions of this Law, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings ascribed thereto, unless the context requires otherwise:
State : United Arab Emirates.
Authority : General Authority of Sports.
Chairman : Chairman of the General Authority of Sports (GAS).
Competent Authorities : Any local authority concerned with licensing, regulating, supervising and controlling sports entities and activities.
Sports Entities : Any non-governmental sports entity that is registered by the Authority or licensed by the competent entities, and works in the field of sports, such as federations, associations, clubs, companies and institutions.
Registered Sports Entities : Any sports entity registered under a decision issued by the Authority in accordance with Article (36) of this law such as Sports Federation, associations and sports clubs.
Sports Federation : A sports entity registered by the Authority, and is responsible for managing one or more sports activities.
Sports Clubs : A sports entity registered by the Authority, and is dedicated to practising one or more sports, and is affiliated with a Sports federations recognized by the Authority.
Sports Association : A sports entity established by sports federations and registered by the Authority. It deals with sports activities or the affairs of a sports profession, such as associations of players, referees, coaches, and sports clubs.
Sports Institutions : Any for-profit sports entity licensed by the competent authorities, to practise activities and provide sports services such as centres, private clubs and academies.
Sports Companies : Commercial companies established by sports clubs or federations or the private sector subject to the legislation in force in the State, and licensed by the competent authorities.
Professional Sports Career : Practising sports activities subject to a contract and related management work, to achieve a material return, considering them an essential and professional work for the person performing the same.
National Sports Organizations : A non-governmental, non-profit and indefinite-term sports organization with an independent legal personality in accordance with its registration decision, that shall operate in accordance with national and international charters, laws and regulations.
National Olympic Committee : An independent, elected, non-governmental national sports organization concerned with the Olympic movement and performs its work in accordance with the provisions of the Olympic Charter and its statute.
National Paralympic Committee : An independent and elected national nongovernmental sports organization concerned with the development of Paralympic sports, and performs its work in accordance with the Paralympic Charter and its statute.
UAE Special Olympics : An independent and elected national nongovernmental sports organization concerned with the development of sports for persons with intellectual disabilities, and performs its work in accordance with related international rules and regulations and its statute.
The UAE Committee for People with Hearing Disabilities : An independent and elected national nongovernmental sports organization concerned with the sports for people with hearing disabilities, and performs its work in accordance with related international rules and regulations and its statute.
National Anti-Doping Agency : A national, non-governmental sports organization concerned with setting policies and procedures necessary to monitor the use of steroids in sports activities and prevent doping in sports competitions, and operates in accordance with the International Anti-Doping Code and its statute.
Elite sport : Sports practice that targets to make the competitiveness of the player reach the highest levels in specialized sport, whether at the Olympic, Paralympic, regional, continental or international levels in any of the individual sports or team sports.

Provisions of this law shall apply to sports organizations and entities as well as all fields of sports activity in the State, including the free zones.

This Law aims to achieve the following:
1. Developing work systems in sports organizations and improve their performance towards excellence.
2. Unifying and integrating the set goals for the development of the sports sector at the federal and local levels.
3. Building a distinguished sports community in partnership between the government and private sectors, and promoting sports affairs.
4. Preparing and encouraging the private sector to invest in the sports sector.
5. Governance of the sports sector within the framework of respect for the Olympic Charter, the Paralympic Charter, and national and international laws and regulations.
6. Supporting sports organizations in achieving their goals in community and competitive sports as well as sports excellence at local and global levels.
7. Encouraging children, youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities of both genders to practice physical and sports activities.

Federal and local government authorities concerned with education in the country shall guarantee the following:
1. The right of every person to practice physical and sports activities within the comprehensive education system in all governmental and private educational institutions, centres for the disabled, and rehabilitation centres for juvenile delinquents.
2. Ensuring the availability of sports facilities and equipment necessary for practising physical and sports activities at various levels of education in educational institutions, centres for the care of the disabled and rehabilitation centres for juvenile delinquents according to the financial capabilities of these institutions and centres.

1. Educational institutions in the State shall discover talents, stimulate sports creativity, and educate students on the principles of sportsmanship.
2. The Sports Federation concerned with educational institutions in the State shall organize sports activities and related competitions in coordination with the Authority and the federal and local government entities concerned with education.

The authority shall establish specialized sports centres in the school environment to take care of distinguished students in sports, taking into account the school timetables for sports training sessions, in coordination with the federal and local government entities concerned with education.

All entities in the government and private sectors shall guarantee the right of persons with disabilities of all categories of both genders to practice physical and sports activities in school and vocational sectors and sports clubs and to form national teams to participate in various sporting events.

1. Military and Police sports shall be regulated in the State subject to the relevant legislation.
2. All military or Police sports categories who join the national sports teams shall coordinate with the Authority before participating in preparations, competitions, tournaments and games inside and outside the country.

The Authority, in coordination with the competent authorities, shall register heritage sports federations and clubs, which are concerned with preserving, publicizing and developing heritage sports, according to the statute of the Authority.

The authority, in coordination with the concerned media entities in the country, shall be responsible for registering the Sports Media Union, which shall be concerned with sponsoring sports media cadres, refining their capabilities and training them according to the best professional standards in alignment with a media code of honour, as determined by the statute of the Authority.

All federal and local government entities shall guarantee the exercise of sports for all, individually or collectively, and provide the necessary support for the establishment of sports facilities that comply with health and safety requirements, and encourage the private sector to participate in this field.

All federal and local government entities shall seek to allocate suitable spaces for practising sports in all residential facilities and complexes.

1. Whoever uses sports facilities shall abide by sportsmanship behaviour and maintaining public order, public morals and public and private property.
2. National sports teams may use sports facilities, in coordination with the sports authorities and the competent authority that manages those facilities. The use of military and police sports facilities is subject to the authorization of the competent authorities.

1. The National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee, together with the sports federations, shall develop a national plan to discover and incubate sports talents in sports clubs and the school sector, in coordination with government federal and local entities concerned with education.
2. The National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee shall issue a guide that includes target groups, talent incubation centres, a sports training program, and qualifications of specialized administrative and technical cadres to supervise the implementation of the plan.

1. The Authority, in coordination with the National Olympic Committee, the National Paralympic Committee, and the sports federations concerned with sponsoring and developing elite and high-level sports, shall manage and prepare national sports teams and their participation in international sports competitions.
2. Subject to a decision of the Chairman, the categories of elite and high-level athletes, their rights and duties at the level of federations and sports clubs shall be determined.

1. All entities in the governmental and private sectors shall grant sports sabbaticals to non-professional sports referees, members and players of national sports teams, including school and university students and centres of the disabled, participating in preparation camps and official competitions as well as tournaments that are held inside or outside the State.
2. Executive Regulations of this law shall determine the requirements and procedures for granting sports sabbaticals, its duration, and cases of cancellation.

1. The National Olympic Committee shall represent the State and participate in the Olympic, regional, continental and international sports tournaments supervised by the International Olympic Committee and the regional and continental sports bodies related to the Olympic movement.
2. The statute of the National Olympic Committee shall define any other tasks of the committee, and its relationship with the Authority and government entities in developing sports, publishing its universal principles and values, and signing partnership agreements with the government and private sectors.
3. The National Olympic Committee shall be managed by a board of directors elected from the members of the General Assembly in accordance with its statute.

1. The National Paralympic Committee shall represent the State and participate in Paralympic, continental, regional and international sports tournaments under supervision of the International Paralympic Committee and the relevant regional and continental sports bodies.
2. The statute of the National Paralympic Committee shall define any other tasks of the committee, and its relationship with the Authority and government entities in developing sports, publishing its universal principles and values, and signing partnership agreements with the government and private sectors.
3. The National Paralympic Committee shall be managed by a board of directors elected from the members of the General Assembly in accordance with its statute.

1. The UAE Special Olympics and the UAE Committee for People with Hearing Disabilities shall represent the State and participate in regional, continental and international sports tournaments supervised by the relevant international sports bodies.
2. The statute of the UAE Special Olympics and the UAE Committee for People with Hearing Disabilities shall define any other tasks of the two committees, and their relationship with the Authority and government entities in developing sports, publishing their universal principles and values, and signing partnership agreements with the government and private sectors.
3. Each of the UAE Special Olympics and the UAE Committee for People with Hearing Disabilities shall be managed by a board of directors elected from the members of the General Assembly in accordance with the statute of each of them.

1. Without prejudice to the legislation in force in the State, the National Anti-Doping Agency shall be responsible for setting policies and procedures necessary to monitor and prevent doping in sports competitions, in coordination with the Authority and the government entities and sports organizations.
2. The National Anti-Doping Agency shall cooperate with the Authority, government and sports entities to control violations and application of sports sanctions pursuant to the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The federation shall consist of sports clubs and sports companies to manage one sporting activity. School and university sports federations, sports for the disabled, and sports for all shall be exempted from this provision. Subject to a decision of the chairman, an existing federation may be assigned to manage other sports similar to the ones it runs.

The federation shall consist of sports clubs and sports companies to manage one sporting activity. School and university sports federations, sports for the disabled, and sports for all shall be exempted from this provision. Subject to a decision of the chairman, an existing federation may be assigned to manage other sports similar to the ones it runs.

The Sports Federation shall be managed by a Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the statute of the Federation.

The Authority shall support the Sports Federation in the following areas:
1. Preparing athletes and national sports teams to participate in regional, continental and international sports tournaments and competitions.
2. Programs for discovering, selecting, training and developing sports talents.
3. Sponsoring promising talented and distinguished athletes.
4. Developing legal, administrative, media and technical cadres specialized in sports affairs.
5. Anti-doping programs and maintaining the health of athletes in general, the children and disabled athletes in particular, securing them from the risks of violence, abuse of all kinds, and sports injuries.
6. Coordination with the concerned entities for the construction of sports facilities.
7. Organizing competitive and community amateur sports competitions.
8. Programs to develop the women's sports sector.
9. Scientific research programs in the sports field.
10. Any other field stipulated in the Executive Regulations of this law.

1. The authority shall conclude the performance agreement with the sports federations, which shall include a definition of the goals of the federation, its participation, and the required results as well as the terms and methods for their implementation.
2. The National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee shall be parties to their respective Sports Performance Agreement.

In order to achieve its objectives, the Sports Federation may enter into partnerships with national or foreign sports or non-sports institutions inside or outside the State. The general conditions for concluding such contracts and the methods of their implementation shall be determined by a decision of the Chairman. Partnerships with institutions from outside the State shall be subject to the approval of the Authority.

1. Sports federations shall seek to acquire membership in regional, continental and international federations that supervise the type of sport that the federation is concerned with, and adhere to national legislation and international by-laws and regulations.
2. The sports federations that are members of the National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee shall abide by the provisions of the statute of the National Olympic Committee and the statute of the National Paralympic Committee.

Sports federations shall establish associations, and they shall have a legal personality after being registered by the Authority, and shall enjoy administrative and financial independence, in accordance with its statutes and internal regulations.

Associations shall assist sports federations in organizing and managing the sports under their concern, and perform their tasks, powers, and work system as determined by its statute.

The sports club shall undertake the practice of one or more sports subject to its statute, shall have a legal personality and enjoy administrative and financial independence and shall have the following competences:
1. Sponsoring and preparing promising and distinguished talented athletes and supplying national teams with them.
2. Spreading sports culture and preserving good morals and sportsmanship.
3. Participation in competitive sports competitions for citizens and residents of both genders.
4. Providing the right to practice physical and sports activities for all members without discrimination.
5. Establishing participatory relations with the concerned public and private institutions, natural persons, clubs and international sports bodies.
6. Spreading the culture of sports professionalism.
7. Any other competences stipulated in its statute.

The sports club shall be managed by a board of directors as determined by the governance system approved by the competent authority or the club's statute.

Sports clubs shall seek to obtain membership in the concerned federations according to their specialization, and shall undertake the registration of athletes belonging to the sports clubs in accordance with the statutes and internal regulations of those federations.

Sports clubs and federations shall maintain the safety and health of athletes and protect them against the risks of violence and abuse, insuring them, keeping them away from doping, as determined by the Executive Regulations of this law.

Sports clubs shall allocate a percentage of their resources to engage in activities of different age groups, as determined by the Executive Regulations of this law.

1. The competent entities shall undertake the licensing of sports institutions, in accordance with the controls and procedures set therein.
2. Sports institutions shall adhere to the requirements set by the competent entities for providing services and practising sports activities.
3. The competent entity shall establish a register of sports institutions for which the competent entity provides licensing. The Executive Regulations of this law shall determine the details and information that must be entered in this register, and the controls and method for providing such details and information to the Authority.
4. Sports institutions may join the membership of sports federations in accordance with the statutes of the federations and shall abide by the controls and requirements set therein.

1. The following requirements shall be fulfilled by the sports entities to obtain registration from the Authority:
  a. The founders must have the nationality of the State. Founding members of other nationalities may be accepted after the approval of the concerned authorities in the State, in accordance with the Executive Regulation of this law.
   b. The existence of a permanent place to practice the activity.
   c. Obtaining a license from the competent entities.
   d. Availability of a statute as prescribed in this law.
   e. Fulfilment of any other requirements specified by a decision of the Chairman.
  f. The sports entities, after being registered, shall acquire the right to undertake all works and actions necessary to achieve their objectives, including contracting with third parties and the right to litigation. Their registration decision shall be published in the Official Gazette.
2. The Executive Regulations of this Law shall determine the procedures for submitting and deciding on the registration application.

The resources of registered sports organizations shall consist of the following:
1. The support provided by the Authority and the competent entities.
2. International Sports Federations grants.
3. Returns on investments and marketing for the sports entity.
4. Revenues from marketing, events, activities, matches, and radio and television broadcasting rights of all kinds and applications.
5. Financial allocations from the bodies registered by the competent authority for sponsoring sports talents and supporting national sports.
6. Member subscriptions.
7. Donations, grants and equivalent subject to the legislation in force in the State.
8. Any other financial resources subject to the legislation in force in the State.

Registered sports organizations shall be committed to the following:
1. Implementing the goals and objectives stipulated in its statute.
2. Refraining from engaging in any political activity or exploiting the sports organization for political reasons.
3. Refraining from provoking religious, sectarian or racial conflicts.
4. Committing to all international sports agreements ratified by the State.
5. Applying governance and accounting standards through auditing the financial statements of revenues and expenditures and approving such statements by the general assembly, and to include the principle of no conflict of interest within its statutes.
6. Notifying the Authority of all decisions issued by international sports organizations and federations.
7. Keep accounting records in accordance with the accounting rules and standards applicable in the State and submitting them upon request.
8. Opening a bank account or accounts in the State.
9. Appointing licensed auditors in the State.
10. To include in its by-laws and regulations a reference to the exclusive competence of the UAE Centre for Sports Arbitration to resolve sports disputes and adjudicate them through arbitration in accordance with the aforementioned Federal Law No. (16) of 2016.
11. Forming independent internal committees to settle sports disputes in accordance with its statute.
12. Setting systems to manage fans in sports facilities during matches or sporting events they supervise its organization in coordination with the competent authority.
13. Raising awareness of the values of civilized encouragement, sportsmanship and respect for others.
14. Preserving sports facilities and public and private property.
15. Publishing and promoting a culture of peace and tolerance.
16. Encouraging studies and research related to the prevention of violence and fans riot in sports facilities.
17. Notifying the Authority of its registered sports trademarks in accordance with the mechanism issued subject to a decision from the Chairman.
18. Implementing the decisions and regulations issued by the Authority.
19. Any other obligations for which a decision is issued by the head of the competent authority.

Sports entities may not practice any of the following activities without obtaining approval from the Authority after coordinating with the concerned authorities:
1. Representing the State or participating on its behalf in any sporting activities outside the State.
2. Inviting and hosting foreign teams, organizing or holding international tournaments or sporting events within the State.
3. Affiliating with any foreign sports organization or concluding agreements or memoranda of understanding with it.
4. Accepting donations or equivalents, subject to the legislation in force, with the exception of sports equipment and sports science journals.

The National Olympic Committee, the National Paralympic Committee and the sports federations shall coordinate with the Authority in the following cases:
1. Joining international sports federations.
2. Suggesting national sports personalities who are candidates for a regional, continental or international position.
3. Opening main or subsidiary headquarters for regional, continental and international sports organizations in the State.

The registered sports entity shall have a general assembly consisting of working and affiliated members, and the assembly shall hold two types of meetings as follows:
a. Ordinary meeting.
b. Extraordinary meeting.

Without prejudice to the legislation in force at the competent authorities, the general assembly of the registered sports entity shall be concerned in its ordinary meeting with the following:
1. Approving the statute.
2. Approving regulations and decisions related to the organization and development of the sports game and future plans according to the general policy for sports in the State.
3. Election of the members of the Board of Directors.
4. Approving the admission of new members.
5. Approving the budget and closing accounts for the ended fiscal year and the draft budget for the following year.
6. Approving the financial and administrative reports.
7. Appointing licensed auditors in the State.
8. Discussing any other matters referred to the General Assembly by the Board of Directors of the sports entity.

Without prejudice to the legislation in force at the competent authorities, the general assembly of the registered sports entity shall be concerned in its extraordinary meeting with the following:
1. Dissolution of the Board of Directors and election of a new Board of Directors.
2. Amending the statute.
3. Deciding on the resignations submitted by all or some of the members of the Board of Directors, in case this violates the quorum of the Board of Directors.
4. Approving the dissolution or merger of the registered sports entity.
5. Revocation of the membership of one or more members of the Board of Directors.
6. Any other competences stipulated by the statute of the sports entity.

he chairman of the board of directors of the sports entity or whoever determined by the statute shall be its representative before the judicial authorities and third parties.

1. Each registered sports entity shall have a statute that includes the following:
   a. Rules of formation, work procedures and schedules of ordinary and extraordinary general assembly meetings.
   b. By-law of the Board of Directors, the selection of its members, its competences and tasks. In all cases, membership tenure shall not exceed four years.
   c. Method of authorization of powers and delegation.
  d. Formation of disciplinary and appeals sports committees as well as dispute settlement committees in sports federations, their by-laws, competences, and selection of its members, without prejudice to the competence of the UAE Centre for Sports Arbitration.
   e. Rules regulating integrity and sports penalties that relate to integrity subject to the statute of the National Olympic Committee and the statute of the National Paralympic Committee as well as the legislation of international sports federations.
   f. A system for receiving all reports regarding violations of the rules of integrity in competitions and sports competitions after coordination with the authority and the competent authority.
   g. Any other issues for which a decision is issued by the head of the competent authority.
    h. Any other matters stipulated in this Law.
2. A copy of the statute of the federations shall be deposited at the Authority, the National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee.
3. The registered sports entities shall set their statutes based on the directive statute issued by a decision of the Chairman.

1. The registered sports entities shall abide by the rules and standards of sustainability, leadership and institutional sporting excellence. The Chairman shall issue a decision with the regulations of collective and individual athletic sports excellence for registered sports organizations and their affiliates.
2. The regulations of collective and individual athletic excellence stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article shall not violate any institutional excellence regulations registered by the competent authorities.

Registered sports entities may not cancel or suspend any sporting activity without receiving the prior approval of the Authority and the competent authorities, as the case may be, and in accordance with the cases and procedures specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

1. Without prejudice to the legislations in force in the State, sports clubs and federations as well as the private sector may, pursuant to prior approval of the competent authorities, establish sports companies to manage one or more sports activities individually or in partnership with natural or legal persons.
2. These companies shall acquire membership in sports federations or associations, in accordance with the requirements set by the federations and sports Associations in its statutes.

The Executive Regulation of this Law shall determine the requirements for incorporating sports companies and their respective statutes.

1. The practice of sports as a hobby or as profession shall be in accordance with the statutes and internal regulations of the sports federations.
2. The Sports Federation shall issue, based on a decision of the General Assembly, the regulations concerning professionalism of the players, coaches, referees, and administrators, including the rules and requirements relevant to professionalism, in coordination with the Authority.
3. The sports professionalism of the player, coach, administrator and referee shall be deemed a profession, and the Executive Regulation of this Law shall determine the requirements for their registration in the pension and social insurance systems throughout the contract period.
4. The groups referred to in Clause (3) of this Article shall be prohibited to combine sports professionalism with a job in the government or private sectors during the validity period of the contract. The Executive Regulation of this Law shall determine the sports that are exempted from this provision in addition to the conditions and requirements related thereon.

1. The Executive Regulations of this Law shall determine sports professions, their types, scientific, technical, training and administrative programs, and the conditions for granting, renewing and cancelling the licensing to practice those professions.
2. The Authority shall issue a comprehensive guide for sports professions in coordination with national sports organizations and sports federations and government entities concerned with the same activity.
3. Sports professions in the government and private sectors may not be practised without a license issued by the government entities concerned with practising the profession.

The imposition of the penalties stipulated in this Law shall be without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated in any other law.

Any of the following shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months and a fine of not less than (100,000) one hundred thousand Dirhams and not exceeding (2,000,000) two million Dirhams or one of these two penalties:
1. Whoever engages in an organized activity in the field of sports through unregistered or non-licensed sports organization.
2. Whoever continues the activity of a sports entity that has lost its legal personality, or whose license has been cancelled or suspended, knowingly.
3. Whoever engaged in an activity that contradicts the purpose for which the registered sports entity was established, or spent its money on something that does not achieve this purpose, or caused a material loss by his negligence.
4. Whoever concluded, held, or submitted a document or record of what the person is required by this Law or the decisions issued in implementation thereof to submit or keep it while such document or record contains an untrue data while knowingly, or deliberately concealing a statement required by the law or the decisions issued in implementation of such law to prove thereof or if the person refrained from submitting the same to the competent authorities.
In addition to the original penalty, the court may order the closure of the sports entity.

Any player, coach, administrator, or referee who requests, accepts, or takes for himself or for another person a gift or advantage of any kind, or a promise of something in order to match-fixing, even if he intended not to do so, or the request, acceptance or taking was after match-fixing, shall be punished by imprisonment and a fine of not less than (100,000) one hundred thousand Dirhams and not exceeding (1,000,000) one million Dirhams, or either of these two penalties. The briber and the mediator shall be punished with the same penalty.
In all cases, the offender shall be sentenced to a fine equal to what he asked for, accepted, or took. The gift taken by the offender shall be confiscated.
The briber and the mediator shall be exempted if they take the initiative to inform the judicial authorities or any other concerned authority about the offence after its occurrence and before being discovered.

The Cabinet shall issue, based on the proposal of the Chairman and after coordination with the competent authorities, a decision specifying the actions that constitute a violation of the provisions of this Law, its Executive Regulation and the decisions issued for its implementation, the administrative penalties prescribed for them and the authority that is competent to impose such penalties, as well as the procedures of imposing the administrative penalty and grievance against it.

Sports entities shall set rules that regulate sports integrity and the disciplinary penalties associated with such rules in their statutes and internal regulations, in accordance with the relevant national and international legislation.

Employees who are designated by a resolution of the Minister of Justice or the head of the competent judicial authority, in agreement with the Chairman, or the head of the competent authority, shall have the capacity of judicial control officers in establishing any event that occurs in violation of the provisions of this Law and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof.

Those who are under the provisions of this Law shall regularize their status in accordance with its provisions within a period not exceeding one year from the date of enforcement of the provisions of its Executive Regulation. This period may be extended by a decision of the Cabinet for another similar period.

The Cabinet shall determine the fees for the services provided by the Authority in implementation of the provisions of this Law.

The Cabinet, based on the Chairman's proposal in coordination with the competent authorities, shall issue the Executive Regulations for this Law within (6) six months from the date of its enforcement.

Any provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force as of the day following the date of its publication.