.jpg?20260502')
A parliamentary drive to overhaul the governance of Bahrain’s sports federations and clubs is set to be debated by MPs following months of hearings, consultations and institutional review.
The interim committee studying the proposal, submitted by a group of MPs, has recommended approval of a plan aimed at raising institutional performance, enforcing governance standards, and ensuring long-term sustainability across the sports sector – without compromising the independence of federations and clubs.
Sports performance committee chairman MP Mohammed Al Olaiwi said the findings revealed a consistent pattern across federations and clubs – ambition and talent exist, but systems, funding models and governance tools have not kept pace.
“What we heard from federations, clubs and regulators is clear – the sports sector is rich in human capital and achievements, but poor in institutional tools that guarantee continuity and efficiency,” he said. “This proposal is about building a system that outlives boards, seasons and budgets.”
A central pillar of the proposal is the creation of a binding governance charter and linking government support to measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
“Support should not be random or equal by default,” Mr Al Olaiwi said. “It should be linked to performance, governance compliance, development of age groups and institutional discipline.”
Clubs told MPs that a 25 per cent reduction in official support in recent years has left some struggling to pay operational costs, maintain facilities, or run youth programmes. Several clubs admitted shelving staff training plans and even reducing age-group activities due to lack of funds.
“You cannot ask clubs to apply governance, digital systems and professional management while they cannot cover electricity bills or buy equipment,” Mr Al Olaiwi noted. “That contradiction must be addressed.”
The proposal calls for a dedicated budget for digital transformation, unified electronic systems for player management, finances and correspondence, and technical support teams to help clubs implement them.
A recurring recommendation from federations and the General Sports Authority was to adopt a four-year strategic cycle aligned with Olympic and international calendars, ensuring programmes continue beyond changing boards.
The authority also revealed it is preparing new legislation for a sports support fund.
The proposal encourages partnerships with the private sector, investment in club lands, sponsorship of facilities, and diversification of income sources to reduce reliance on government aid.
Federations representing people with disabilities and deaf athletes stressed that performance measurement must consider the nature of each federation, not just medal counts. They called for specialised coach training, communication skills for dealing with deaf athletes, and fair evaluation standards based on beneficiaries and impact.
Other federations highlighted problems with player release from workplaces, lack of sports leave legislation, and the absence of social insurance coverage for athletes.
Among the ideas discussed was establishing a joint headquarters for federations with shared staff and meeting spaces, and launching a unified sports website and correspondence system.
The General Sports Authority also revealed projects to reduce clubs’ electricity costs through renewable energy and ongoing upgrades of national facilities to host regional tournaments.
A major theme in the hearings was that the current sports framework still falls under Decree Law 21 of 1989, which combines youth, cultural, charitable and sports bodies under one umbrella.
Mr Al Olaiwi said modern sports management requires a dedicated legal framework.
“You cannot run 2026 sports institutions with a 1989 law,” he said. “Legislation is the foundation of reform.”
Clubs repeatedly pointed out that heavy reliance on volunteers weakens institutional continuity. The report suggests studying allowances or rewards for board members and investing in continuous administrative and technical training.
After meetings with federations, clubs, regulators and sports media, the committee unanimously recommended approving the proposal, citing strong public interest justifications.
&uuid=(email))