Sports Passport in Uzbekistan

A sports passport is a standardized document confirming an athlete’s affiliation with a physical culture and sports organization, as well as the athlete’s sports qualification. It serves as an official instrument for recording sports activities, sports categories, titles, results, medical examinations, and other information related to an athlete’s career. The legal framework governing the issuance of sports passports is established by the Administrative Regulation for the Provision of the Public Service of Issuing Sports Passports to Athletes, approved by Resolution No. 309 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated 24 July 2023.

By its legal nature, a sports passport is not an identity document in the general civil-law sense. Its purpose is specialized: it is used in the field of physical culture and sports to confirm an athlete’s status, sports affiliation, qualification, and history of participation in sporting events.

Who Is Eligible for a Sports Passport

A sports passport is issued to an athlete who regularly practices the relevant sport, participates in sports competitions, and holds a sports category of at least the second junior sports category. Therefore, merely attending a sports club or training sessions is not sufficient to obtain a sports passport. The athlete must have a minimum level of sports qualification confirmed by the relevant category and must participate regularly in sporting activities.

The categories of eligible persons may be summarized as follows:

Category of Person	Eligible for a Sports Passport	Condition
Professional athlete	Yes	Subject to holding a sports category/title and being affiliated with a sports organization
Junior athlete	Yes	If the athlete holds at least the second junior sports category
Athlete under 16 years of age	Yes	The application is submitted by a parent or legal representative
Amateur without a sports category	No	If the requirements for obtaining a sports passport have not been met
Person who does not participate in competitions	As a rule, no	The passport is linked to regular sporting and competitive activities

For athletes under the age of 16, the application must be submitted by their parents or legal representatives. The application form must be accompanied by a 3 × 4 cm photograph of the athlete against a white background, the personal identification number of the legal representative, as well as a document confirming the legal representative’s authority where the application is submitted by a person other than the athlete’s parent.

Information Contained in a Sports Passport

A sports passport contains both personal information and information relating to the athlete’s sports qualifications. It includes:

Information Category	Content
Athlete’s personal data	Surname, first name, patronymic, sex, date of birth, PINFL
Sports affiliation	Physical culture and sports organization with which the athlete is affiliated
Type of sport	Selected sport or sports and sports disciplines
Qualification	Sports categories and titles
Sports results	Participation in competitions, results achieved, places obtained
Medical information	Record confirming completion of a medical examination
Disciplinary information	Information on sports disqualifications
Awards	State awards and other forms of recognition
Coach	Surname, first name and patronymic of the coach
Other information	Data related to the specific characteristics of a particular sport

An athlete’s affiliation with a physical culture and sports organization is determined either on the basis of an employment contract or on the basis of the athlete’s membership in such organization. This is important because the sports passport records not only the athlete’s individual achievements but also the athlete’s organizational relationship with a club, school, federation, or other sports organization.

Purpose of a Sports Passport

A sports passport has practical significance for athletes, sports organizations, organizers of competitions, and government authorities responsible for sports. It is used in the following circumstances:

Purpose of Use	Practical Significance
Transfer from one sports organization to another	Confirms the athlete’s affiliation and sports history
Registration for participation in competitions	Confirms sports qualification and eligibility
Medical examinations	Contains information on the athlete’s medical supervision
Obtaining sports categories and titles	Confirms compliance with applicable standards and requirements
Recording an athlete’s career	Creates a unified history of achievements, results, and disciplinary information
Governmental and organizational control	Enables electronic registration of athletes through the “ERP sport” system

Thus, a sports passport is not merely a formal document but also an element of the sports infrastructure. It ensures transparency in athlete registration, confirms their status, and helps systematize information concerning sports qualifications, results, and affiliation with sports organizations.

How a Sports Passport Is Issued

The public service for issuing a sports passport is provided by the Ministry of Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan as the authorized body. An application may be submitted in two ways: through a Public Services Center or via the Single Portal of Interactive Public Services.

The procedure includes the following stages:

Stage	Description	Timeframe
1. Submission of application	The athlete applies in person to a Public Services Center or submits an application through the Single Portal of Interactive Public Services	At the applicant’s discretion
2. Completion of application form	The prescribed application/questionnaire form is completed	At the time of application
3. Payment of fee	The prescribed fee for provision of the service is paid	At the time of application
4. Transmission of information	The application form is forwarded to the Ministry of Sports	In real time
5. Verification of information	The authorized body verifies the applicant’s information	Within 1 business day
6. Issuance of the passport	The passport is prepared electronically, contains a QR code, and is authenticated by an electronic digital signature	Within 1 business day
7. Delivery of the passport	The passport is delivered through the Single Portal of Interactive Public Services or issued through a Public Services Center	After completion

The sports passport is issued in electronic form, contains a QR code, and is registered in the unified electronic management system “ERP sport.” Where an application is submitted in person through a Public Services Center, after receiving the relevant notification the applicant may obtain the sports passport electronically and, upon request, also in paper form.

Validity and Replacement of a Sports Passport

A sports passport is issued for an unlimited period. This means that it does not need to be periodically renewed solely because a validity period has expired.

However, the passport must be replaced if the athlete’s surname, first name and/or patronymic changes. Reissuance is carried out through a Public Services Center or the Single Portal of Interactive Public Services, and no fee is charged for reissuance.

Grounds for Refusal to Issue a Sports Passport

The issuance of a sports passport may be refused only on the grounds established by law. These include:

Ground for Refusal	Description
Inaccurate information	False or incorrect information has been provided in the application form
Failure to pay the fee	The applicant has not paid the prescribed service fee
Failure to meet the requirements	The conditions for obtaining a sports passport have not been satisfied

Refusal on any other grounds is prohibited. If an applicant considers a refusal to be unjustified or disagrees with an action or omission of the authorized body, the applicant has the right to appeal such action, omission, or refusal in accordance with the procedure established by law.

Significance of the “ERP sport” Electronic System

Particular importance is attached to maintaining information about athletes in the unified electronic management system “ERP sport.” When a sports passport is issued, the initial information about the athlete is entered into the system by the authorized body.

Subsequently, the relevant sports organization with which the athlete is affiliated is responsible for updating the information. Such organization is responsible for the accuracy and correctness of the data entered into the system.

Electronic registration makes it possible to create a centralized database of athletes and ensure that information concerning sports categories, results, affiliation with organizations, medical records, and other information relevant to sporting activities remains up to date.

Prohibition on Introducing Other Sports Passports

The Regulation expressly prohibits the introduction of any other sports passports confirming information about athletes, except for documents introduced pursuant to the requirements of international sports federations or associations. This rule is intended to standardize athlete registration and prevent the existence of parallel documentation systems in the field of sports.