The 2025 National Basketball League (NBL) season will commence without one of Uganda’s most recognized women’s basketball teams, A1 Challenge.
The club, which has been a mainstay in the Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) leagues for years, has been suspended from all competitions following a series of administrative and ethical violations.
As the new season approached, A1 Challenge found itself in a difficult position regarding its player roster. The club wrote to the FUBA Competitions Council requesting a 10-day extension to sign additional players and reschedule its fixtures.
However, this request was denied on the grounds that registration deadlines are strictly enforced by the Executive Committee (EXCOM), and A1 Challenge had failed to provide a compelling reason for an extension.
The situation escalated when A1 Challenge claimed to have signed three new players to strengthen their squad for the season.
However, in a shocking turn of events, the players in question denied having any contractual agreement with the club. This contradiction prompted the Competitions Council to conduct a formal investigation.
During a meeting between A1 Challenge representatives and the Competitions Council, the club was asked to provide signed contracts as proof of the alleged agreements.
Upon thorough examination, it was discovered that the signatures on the contracts were forged. Unable to provide evidence to the contrary, A1 Challenge found itself in violation of FUBA’s competition rules.
Following the investigation, the Competitions Council ruled that A1 Challenge had breached Article VII, section 7.02.1 of the FUBA 2025 competition rules, which explicitly prohibits fraud, impersonation, and the presentation of forged documents, including license cards and identification documents.
The ruling stated:
“A person found guilty of section 7.02 (a) (I) will be suspended for the remainder of the season from all competitions organized by FUBA. In the case of the club, it shall be demoted to the lower division.”
As a result, A1 Challenge has been suspended from all FUBA-organized competitions for the 2025 season, putting the club’s future in serious jeopardy.
Right to Appeal
Despite the severity of the sanction, A1 Challenge retains the right to appeal the decision. According to FUBA’s regulations, the club can take its case to the Arbitration Tribunal, where it will have the opportunity to challenge the ruling.
However, unless the appeal overturns the decision, A1 Challenge will not compete in the 2025 NBL season and may even face relegation to a lower division.
