Tribunal orders reistatement of three clubs as KHU 2025 league begins

Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT)has ruled in favor of three hockey clubs—Blue Pirates, Rift Pirates Men, and Rift Pirates Women—ordering their immediate return to the 2025 Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) leagues.

The ruling, delivered on Thursday, 10 April by acting chair Njeri Onyango, follows a high-profile dispute that had threatened to disrupt the competitive integrity of this year’s hockey season.

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The Tribunal directed that all clubs excluded from the league, which is set to begin on Saturday, 12 April, must be reinstated, provided they present acknowledgment letters from the Sports Registrar to the KHU by 17 April.

Clubs that have not yet applied were also granted a lifeline, with the tribunal instructing them to immediately initiate the registration process and submit acknowledgment within seven days of receiving it.

“This decision ensures fairness and reinforces the principle that administrative shortcomings should not override sporting merit,” said Raphael Omalla, counsel for the Claimants, during the virtual mention of the case.

In a move to maintain league order, the tribunal also gave KHU the liberty to reorganize the league standings and timetable in line with the adjusted number of participating clubs. However, a stern warning was issued: any club that fails to comply fully with registration requirements by the start of the second leg will be automatically disqualified.

The tribunal further emphasized that all clubs must obtain full registration certificates and submit them to the Union within seven days of issuance, with full compliance expected during the first leg of the league.

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This ruling concludes a tense standoff between the affected clubs and KHU, after the Union issued a two-day compliance notice in February that led to the controversial exclusion of several teams from its 2025 calendar.

The Claimants challenged the move, terming it unfair, unreasonable, and a calculated effort to reduce participation in the league.

The case will be mentioned again on 10 June to confirm compliance and offer further directions.