Match-riggers could face a fine of up to Ksh1 million, a prison term of up to one year, or both if a proposed amendment to Kenya’s Sports Act becomes law.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to make manipulation of sports competitions a criminal offence, introducing tougher consequences for individuals involved in fixing matches and influencing sporting outcomes.

Match-fixing is essentially rigging a sporting competition by deliberately manipulating how a match or specific events within it play out so that a predetermined outcome is achieved, often for money or another benefit.

This could involve a player deliberately performing poorly, an official influencing decisions, or someone offering money or other incentives to influence how a match is played.

📌 What You Need to Know

Under the proposed law, manipulation would cover conduct such as fixing match results, bribery, deliberately underperforming, using insider betting information, and employing threats or coercion to influence a competition.

Beyond criminal penalties, athletes, clubs and other sporting participants found involved could face disciplinary action, including forfeiture of matches, suspension from competitions and lifetime bans from regulated sporting events.

Any money or other benefits obtained through sports manipulation could also be confiscated under the proposed legislation.

The Bill would give Sports Kenya a stronger role in handling suspected cases, including receiving reports and conducting investigations in collaboration with other law enforcement and regulatory bodies.

Investigations into suspected sports manipulation would be required to be completed within six months, while people affected by decisions made by Sports Kenya would have an avenue to appeal through the Sports Disputes Tribunal.

The proposed changes come amid concerns over match-fixing in Kenyan football, with players and clubs previously facing allegations and disciplinary action. A Harambee Stars goalkeeper was also implicated in a suspected scheme after a leaked video allegedly showed him negotiating to influence a match outcome.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke