{"id":151678,"date":"2026-11-03T14:29:22","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T14:29:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/?post_type=comparative_guide&#038;p=151678"},"modified":"2026-11-04T13:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T13:14:20","slug":"cameroon-sports-law","status":"publish","type":"comparative_guide","link":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/chapter\/cameroon-sports-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Cameroon: Sports Law"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-151678","comparative_guide","type-comparative_guide","status-publish","hentry","guides-sports-law","jurisdictions-cameroon"],"acf":[],"appp":{"post_list":{"below_title":"<div class=\"guide-author-details\"><span class=\"guide-author\">Nouyadjam Associates<\/span><span class=\"guide-author-logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2026\/10\/Firm-Logo-4.jpg\"\/><\/span><\/div>"},"post_detail":{"above_title":"<div class=\"guide-author-details\"><span class=\"guide-author\">Nouyadjam Associates<\/span><span class=\"guide-author-logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2026\/10\/Firm-Logo-4.jpg\"\/><\/span><\/div>","below_title":"<span class=\"guide-intro\">This country specific Q&amp;A provides an overview of Sports Law laws and regulations applicable in Cameroon<\/span><div class=\"guide-content\"><div class=\"filter\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Search questions and answers...\" class=\"filter-container__search-field\">\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<ol class=\"custom-counter\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Do you have a specific sport tribunal in your country to decide sports-related domestic issues for one or more disciplines? Are there any other sports-specific alternative dispute resolutions in your country, i.e. mediation, conciliation, or sports ombuds instance? Are there cases that can or cannot be submitted to a specific sports tribunal or cannot be subject to arbitration (e.g. labor disputes)?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>In Cameroon, since the Charter on Physical and Sports Activities (Law No. 96\/09 of 5 August 1996), a clear choice has been made in favour of establishing an autonomous sports justice system. The Charter&#8217;s first provisions created, within the Olympic movement, an adjudicatory body responsible for settling sports disputes. In the wake of that law, the Conciliation and Arbitration Chamber was established in 2001 within the Cameroon Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSC).<\/p>\n<p>This body, the highest judicial organ of sport at national level, had its role strengthened following the enactment of Law No. 2011\/08 of 15 July 2011 on the organisation and promotion of sports activities in Cameroon, which repealed the 1996 Charter.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, Law No. 2018\/014 of 11 July 2018 on the organisation and promotion of physical and sports activities in Cameroon further refines, in various respects, the question of the settlement of sports disputes.<\/p>\n<p>Besides confirming the status of the Conciliation and Arbitration Chamber of the Cameroon Olympic and Sports Committee as the competent body empowered to hear sports disputes in the last instance, where the internal remedies of the body concerned have been exhausted, the 2018 Law makes conciliation a mandatory preliminary step before arbitration, where the parties so agree.<\/p>\n<p>Although the aforementioned Chamber rules in the last instance on all sports disputes, such disputes are resolved at first instance by the adjudicatory bodies established within the national sports federations, in accordance with the rules specific to those bodies. The only exception is disputes relating to criminal law, which fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of the ordinary courts.<\/p>\n<p>For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that, alongside this body, which deals exclusively with sports disputes arising from all sports federations operating in Cameroon, the law also gives stakeholders in the sports movement the option, depending on the case, of bringing the matter, in the last instance, before either the administrative courts or the ordinary courts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">How is Sports law codified in your country? Is there a specific Statute or Code? Are there national sports authorities, independent agencies, or government ministries responsible for oversight?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Sports law in Cameroon is not contained in a single instrument serving as a Sports Code. It is instead made up of several national norms, including statutes, decrees and orders, together with a substantial body of sports case law.<\/p>\n<p>The principal text is Law No. 2018\/014 of 11 July 2018 on the organisation and promotion of physical and sports activities in Cameroon.<\/p>\n<p>The organisation and promotion of sports activities in Cameroon are the responsibility of the State, through the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, of the decentralised local authorities, and of the national sports movement, which comprises in particular the Cameroon Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSC), the Cameroon National Paralympic Committee, and sports associations and federations.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the foregoing, the law establishes the following advisory bodies: the National Council for Physical and Sports Activities; the Cameroon Anti-Doping Agency in Sport; the National High-Level Sport Commission; and the National Commission on Sports Grades and Certificates and on the Equivalence of Foreign Qualifications in the field of sport.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Advertising and marketing in sport: which are the limitations foreseen in your country, for instance in relation to alcohol, tobacco or betting advertising on or around sports infrastructure, on official clothing, etc.?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Law No. 2018\/014 of 11 July 2018 on the organisation and promotion of physical and sports activities in Cameroon is silent on advertising and marketing in sport.<\/p>\n<p>As regards the restrictions on advertising for tobacco, alcohol and sports betting, one must refer to the general law, namely Law No. 2006\/018 of 29 December regulating advertising in Cameroon, Law No. 2015\/012 of 16 July 2015 laying down the regime for entertainment, money and chance games, and its implementing instrument, Decree No. 2019\/230\/PM of 18 July 2019.<\/p>\n<p>Accordingly, as far as tobacco is concerned, it should be noted that advertising in favour of cigarettes and other tobacco products is prohibited in the written press, on sound radio, on television, on advertising displays and in cinemas, or through any other comparable medium.<\/p>\n<p>Advertising for alcohol is subject to restrictions, the detailed rules of which are laid down by regulation. The restrictions relate in particular to the form and volume of the advertising, the advertising arguments used, the persons appearing as actors in advertisements, the media, and the nature of the places where advertising messages are broadcast.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, advertising for sports betting, although subject to particular vigilance, is free and not yet regulated.<\/p>\n<p>It follows from the foregoing that tobacco advertising is prohibited in sports facilities and on athletes&#8217; shirts.<\/p>\n<p>By contrast, alcohol advertising may be displayed in sports facilities and on shirts, provided that it complies with the restrictions laid down by the law and, in the case of athletes&#8217; shirts worn in competitions organised by the federations, with the federations&#8217; own rules as well.<\/p>\n<p>Advertising by sports betting companies may be displayed on sports equipment and on clubs&#8217; kits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Match-fixing: How is match-fixing and other forms of match manipulation combated in your country? Has your country ratified the Macolin Convention? What is the role of the sports betting industry in your country and is it subject to any specific state regulations?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The State of Cameroon has not ratified the Macolin Convention. The instruments for combating the manipulation of sports competitions are put in place by each sports federation. The Cameroonian Football Federation, for example, has a Disciplinary Code, a Code of Ethics and competent bodies responsible for applying the various sanctions, in particular the homologation and disciplinary committees and the ethics committees.<\/p>\n<p>As regards the sports betting industry, it plays a supporting role, in particular through the sponsorship of stakeholders and competitions in Cameroon. Its involvement in the field of sport is not subject to any particular regulatory framework.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Is there an institution safeguarding the integrity across sports in your country, e.g. ethics and doping violations or abuse cases? Which rules does such an institution apply?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Integrity in sport in Cameroon is protected by the Ethics Committee of the Cameroon Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSC) and by the ethics committees within the national federations, both of which have appropriate rules in place.<\/p>\n<p>As regards the fight against doping, it should be noted that Law No. 2018\/014 of 11 July 2018 provides for the creation of an anti-doping agency in sport. Accordingly, the Cameroon National Anti-Doping Organisation applies the standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">How is corruption in sport regulated in your country? Is corruption between private individuals subject to criminal or civil liability and are there any sport specific corruption regulations?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Law No. 2018\/014 of 11 July 2018 on the organisation and promotion of physical and sports activities in Cameroon contains no specific provisions or articles directly punishing corruption in sport.<\/p>\n<p>There is no anti-corruption legislation specific to sport in Cameroon.<\/p>\n<p>One must refer to the rules of the sports federations, such as the Code of Ethics of the Cameroonian Football Federation, and to the general law, in particular the Penal Code, in order to find provisions that define and penalise corrupt practices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">How is fan behavior regulated by law (for example banning orders, criminal penalties for violence, specific laws addressing measures against violence at sporting events etc.)?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Law No. 2018\/014 of 11 July 2018 on the organisation and promotion of physical and sports activities in Cameroon does not regulate the behaviour of supporters. One must refer to the rules of the sports federations, such as the General Regulations and the Disciplinary Code of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT), in order to find provisions that refer to supporters&#8217; behaviour.<\/p>\n<p>As matters currently stand, clubs taking part in competitions are responsible to the Cameroonian Football Federation for the behaviour of their supporters.<\/p>\n<p>Accordingly, in the event of a serious incident resulting in the permanent abandonment of a match, a pitch invasion, the throwing of missiles, verbal abuse, physical assault on officials, players or opposing supporters, or racist or discriminatory acts or acts undermining the statutory objectives of FECAFOOT, the club responsible may be sanctioned by a fine, an order to play behind closed doors, forfeiture of the match, or the relocation of its matches.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters implicated, where they are identified, may be banned from stadiums and denied access to any facility hosting FECAFOOT competitions.<\/p>\n<p>Proceedings under the general law, in particular criminal proceedings, may also be brought against the supporters implicated for various offences, such as destruction of property, violence and insult.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What legal frameworks exist around the ownership and governance of professional sports clubs (e.g. foreign ownership restrictions, fan ownership models, licensing requirements)?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The legal framework governing the ownership and governance of professional football clubs is set out in the 2018 Law and in the rules of the Cameroonian Football Federation.<\/p>\n<p>Sports associations taking part in amateur competitions are required to set up commercial sports companies in order to take part in professional competitions, in particular the professional league.<\/p>\n<p>It is further specified that, when the sports company that is to take part in the professional league is set up, the association must hold at least 51% of the capital. This means that a professional club cannot be owned by a foreign person.<\/p>\n<p>However, it should be noted that the general law does allow a foreign person to own a commercial company in Cameroon, provided that the company first obtains approval from the Ministry of Trade.<\/p>\n<p>Professional clubs must therefore be constituted as companies in one of the following forms: Limited Liability Company (SARL), Public Limited Company (SA) or Mixed-Economy Company (SEM). The sports association must hold at least 51% of the capital, and foreign persons and supporters may take a stake in the capital.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Do you observe an increase in multi-sport ownership in your country, either across various sports or within one sport or sports discipline?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The regime governing multi-club ownership in sport remains unclear under Cameroonian law, and the 2018 Law is silent on the matter. However, the beginnings of a solution can be found in the General Regulations of FECAFOOT.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, no private person may, directly or indirectly, hold securities giving access to the capital of, or conferring a voting right in, more than one company constituted by a football club affiliated to FECAFOOT.<\/p>\n<p>However, it remains possible for a person to hold sports associations in different sports disciplines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Are there any mandatory national provisions, apart from regulations of international sports governing bodies, which regulate athlete representation in your jurisdiction and are there specific limitations to the representation of athletes, such as e.g. provisions regarding dual representation, caps on agent commissions, regulations on the protection of minor athletes?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Cameroon has no specific or stand-alone law exclusively governing the representation of athletes. Law No. 2018\/014 mentions the sports agent only to lay down the main condition for practising the profession, namely the authorisation licence. The actual regulation of agents&#8217; activity is provided for in the rules of each sports federation, such as the FECAFOOT Regulations on Working with Intermediaries and on Agents, which lay down the restrictions on representation, the protection of minors and agents&#8217; commissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Are there national statutory frameworks, apart from regulations of international sports governing bodies, or cases concerning the participation of transgender athletes in competitive sport in your country? How is the issue currently regulated and\/or debated?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The question of the participation of transgender athletes in sports competitions is not addressed in Cameroonian sports law, given cultural and religious realities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What is the legal framework for e-sports in your jurisdiction? Is there a specific Statute or Code in your country or motions to implement such?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>As matters currently stand, there is no specific law relating to the practice of esports. The Ministry of Sports and Physical Education has not yet granted approval to any federation in this sport. However, there are associations that promote it, in particular through the national competitions they organise and their participation in international competitions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Which has been the leading sports law case of the past year in your country?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Strictly speaking, no sports dispute stood out for us over the past year. However, we can point to the dispute decided on 4 September 2026 between the State of Cameroon and the Italian company PICCINI, concerning the construction of sports facilities, in particular the Olembe sports complex, at an initially estimated cost of FCFA 163 billion. The dispute was pending before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What other sports law topic(s) would you highlight as being very current and relevant in your country?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Sports news in Cameroon is currently marked by themes such as the professionalisation of sport, the protection of minors in sport and the structuring of women&#8217;s football.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n<div class=\"word-count-hidden\" style=\"display:none;\">Estimated word count: <span class=\"word-count\">2227<\/span><\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<\/ol>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/twentyseventeen\/src\/jquery\/components\/filter-guides.js\" async><\/script><\/div>"}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comparative_guide\/151678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comparative_guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/comparative_guide"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}