Namuwongo Blazers have formally protested their 78-73 loss to City Oilers in Game Five of the 2026 National Basketball League Finals, raising questions over the nationality and eligibility of several Oilers players and the club’s compliance with the foreign-player quota.
The protest, lodged with the Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (FUBA) within 24 hours of Sunday’s game at Lugogo, centres on the eligibility of six City Oilers players: Dier Amal Malual, Germaine Vashon Roebuck Jr, Patrick Ronald Rembert, Isaac Athuai Akoal, Lukoji Banza Joel and Landry Ndikumana.
Namuwongo says it has “reasonable grounds to believe” City Oilers may have exceeded the maximum number of four foreign players permitted on game day under Section 2.01(h) of the 2026 FUBA Competition Rules and Regulations.
This website has learnt that Roebuck who was not used on Sunday due to an injury, has a Ugandan passport, leaving five players in question.
The club has singled out Malual’s nationality and citizenship status as the principal issue requiring investigation.
According to the protest, Namuwongo wants FUBA to independently verify Malual’s current and previous passports, birth and civil-registration records, citizenship documents, parentage records, National Identification Number and related registration records, as well as his player-registration documents, licences and clearance letters.
The Blazers argue that the relevant documentation should be examined as it existed at the time of Malual’s registration, saying subsequently obtained documents should not retrospectively cure any ineligibility that may have existed at the material time.
Namuwongo has also asked FUBA, where necessary, to refer the matter to the Ministry of Internal Affairs or other competent government authorities to verify Malual’s citizenship status, parentage, place of birth, passport history, civil-registration records and the authenticity and lawful issuance of documents used in his registration.
If Malual is found not to have had the legal status required to be classified as a Ugandan player at the time of registration, Namuwongo argues that he should instead be counted as a foreign player.
That determination, the club says, would require FUBA to establish whether City Oilers consequently exceeded the four-player foreign quota in Sunday’s game.
The Blazers are asking FUBA’s Technical Council and Competitions Council to verify the nationality, registration status, licences, clearance letters and game-day eligibility of all six players named in the protest.
They are also seeking an examination of the official scoresheet, team roster, player licences, registration records and other relevant competition records to determine whether City Oilers fielded more than four foreign players.
Should a breach be established, Namuwongo has requested that FUBA impose the sanctions provided for in the competition regulations.
These could include a fine of up to US$500 for exceeding the foreign-player quota, loss of points, sanctions for fielding an ineligible player and forfeiture of affected games.
The club has also asked FUBA to consider further sanctions if an investigation establishes that fraudulent or falsified documentation was knowingly used in the registration process.
Namuwongo stressed, however, that any finding of fraud should be based on evidence establishing the required conduct and knowledge.
City Oilers currently lead the best-of-seven Finals series 3-2 following Sunday’s victory and are one win away from retaining the NBL title.
Namuwongo says any sanctions arising from the protest should be reflected in the final league classification and, where applicable, the championship outcome.
The Blazers also say they complied with the procedural requirements for lodging the protest. According to their submission, the team captain notified the crew chief of the protest within 15 minutes of the final whistle, signed the official scoresheet within the prescribed period and submitted proof of payment of the US$100 protest fee.
Malual Dier was on court for 24 minutes, scoring zero points, collecting 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
The protest was filed on Monday, within the 24-hour window stipulated by the regulations.
The club has also invoked the provision requiring members of the body hearing the protest who have a club directly affected by its outcome to recuse themselves.
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