Law No. (8) of 2021 marks a transformative shift in the Bahraini sports landscape by officially recognizing sports as a professional career. This law provides the legal scaffolding for contracts, athlete rights, and the administrative registration of professionals within the Kingdom.
Key Aspects of the Law:
- Requires all professional relationships to be governed by a written "Professional Contract" that specifies duration, working hours, and financial compensation.
- Mandates each sports federation to establish a dedicated office to register and approve professional contracts, ensuring they align with both national laws and international federation standards.
- The "Contracted Entity" (clubs, federations, or licensed sports institutions) is legally responsible for the costs associated with registering and certifying these contracts.
- Ensures that athletes are treated as professionals with defined rights, moving away from the traditional model to a more secure, employment-based framework.