Law to register sports clubs as firms proposed

Manama: A new law to convert sports clubs in the Kingdom of Bahrain into commercial registration companies or firms is on the cards, revealed Parliament First Deputy Chairman Ali Al Aradi yesterday.

Speaking to DT News, Al Aradi said that the draft of the law would be submitted to the Parliament speaker today morning by five members. These include legislators such as Al Aradi, Hamad Al Dossari and Khalifa Al Ghanem. 

Al Aradi said that the new law would promote and develop the sports industry and boost sports activities among the youth, adding that any club can make use of the opportunity to register itself as a company or financial institution.

“This will give the clubs an opportunity to invest more and depend less on whatever they receive from the government,” the Deputy Chairman explained, adding that a number of European countries have already implemented similar laws and legislations.

According to the proposed law, it will be up to the clubs to decide whether they have to apply for commercial registration or not.

Also the conversion into companies would only be possible if the clubs meet the requirements that are necessary to apply for commercial registration.

Al Aradi said that the proposed law emphasised that the Ministry of Sports and Youth would have a share and that share would be reflected on how much it had already invested in the club.