The Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) has moved to clear the air on the eligibility of City Oilers’ new signings, following questions raised by JT Jaguars Basketball Club.
In a letter dated 27th August 2025 and addressed to Jaguars proprietor Jeff T. Nyangenya, the FUBA Competitions Council confirmed that Chad Bowie and Kurt Curry Wegscheider had legally completed their registrations by physically appending their signatures on the required documents within the transfer window.
JT Jaguars had queried whether City Oilers were allowed to use digital signings, reportedly with the approval of FUBA President Nasser Sserunjogi and some council members, but the Competitions Council dismissed those claims.
“To claim that the President or certain members of the CC reportedly permitted the players to sign is uncalled for, because no team/player requires his or CC’s express permission as it is already provided for in the rules,” the letter stated.
The Council emphasized that both Bowie and Wegscheider complied with the mid-season transfer requirements.
The transfer window ran from 18th May to 30th June 2025.
City Oilers submitted their requests for player additions on 23rd June 2025.
Both players signed their rosters with physically appended signatures on 26th June 2025, which were verified and accepted.
FUBA explained that the insistence on physical signing is meant to avoid cases where managers or third parties sign on behalf of players, a malpractice that has previously led to sanctions.
“Physical signing to us means that the actual player does sign on the team roster and not anyone else,” the Competitions Council clarified.
The ruling also made it clear that the Competitions Council has not yet endorsed virtual or digital signings, reaffirming that only physical signatures are valid for player registration in Uganda.
This clarification effectively confirms the eligibility of City Oilers’ new signings for the upcoming playoffs, even as debates around FUBA’s registration system continue to stir controversy within the basketball community.
