Dr. Donald Rukare, President of the Uganda Olympic Committee, has been appointed Interim President of Commonwealth Sport following the resignation of Chris Jenkins.
The appointment was confirmed by the organisation’s Executive Board, with Rukare set to serve in the role until the next General Assembly in November 2025.
Rukare assumes the interim presidency at a critical time for Commonwealth Sport as preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow intensify.
Speaking after the appointment, Rukare expressed readiness to take on the responsibility, stating, “I am ready to step into this role and thank the Board for their confidence in me. We have come through a particularly challenging period in our Games history, and we are now building momentum towards an outstanding Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2026.”
Commonwealth Sport CEO Katie Sadleir confirmed the appointment and added, “We look forward to working with Donald in this role as we continue driving the organisation’s event operations and wider movement forward.”
Rukare’s appointment follows his recent election as President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) Zone 5, where he secured eight votes against two received by his Ethiopian counterpart, Gayo Ashebir.
The elections were held on the sidelines of the ANOCA Zone 5 General Assembly in Addis Ababa earlier this month.
ANOCA Zone 5 comprises 11 countries from East Africa, and the committee plays a key role in promoting Olympic ideals, developing sports across the region, and enhancing cooperation among member nations.
In addition to his roles with Commonwealth Sport and ANOCA Zone 5, Rukare also chairs Uganda’s National Olympic Committee and has served in various senior sports governance capacities across Africa.
His legal and academic background, including a position as a sports law lecturer and former advocate of the High Court of Uganda, underscores his reputation as one of the continent’s most experienced sports administrators.
With his expanding portfolio, Rukare is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping both regional and global sports development during a transformative period for major international sporting institutions.
