Registrar General Calls for Protection of Sports Innovation at World IP Day
The Registrar General, Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, has urged Ugandans to recognize and protect the value of innovation in sports through intellectual property.
Speaking at the World Intellectual Property Day celebrations Held at the Uganda Business Facilitation Centre (UBFC), Ms. Kainobwisho reflected on how sports have evolved, noting that even traditional games were centres of creativity.
“As young people, we played, we had no sponsors, no logos or endorsement deals, but we carried on world-class sports. We played Omweso, Duulu, and cards. These were not just games; they were innovation hubs at a local level,” she said.
She added that organised sports later emerged, exposing talents across disciplines such as football, handball, relays, and long jump. “We have seen Uganda rising. As we celebrate today, we remember that our generation grew around open community setups where we dreamt and developed,” she noted.
Kainobwisho emphasized the strong link between sports and intellectual property, explaining that football badges are trademarks, jerseys are designs, and match broadcasts are protected by copyright, while athletes’ names and celebrations carry image rights.
“We need to join efforts as we consider the value of brands in the sports sector. They hold huge economic power, and that power can only be protected by the intellectual property system we have in Uganda,” she said.
She called for greater efforts to commercialise and protect innovations in sports.
