Daniel Walusimbi felt a rush of familiar adrenaline, but the setting was worlds apart. No stadium tunnels, no thunderous crowds just the hushed quiet of a high-stakes arbitration room in Abuja, Nigeria. The former Uganda Cranes star had swapped boots for a sharp suit and a stack of legal briefs, trading goals for a bigger mission: defending football’s integrity.
Alongside teammate Twaha Morgan Kubiriza from Cavendish University Uganda, Walusimbi reached the finals of the Football Law Annual Moot (FLAM), founded by sports law legend Pius C. Ndubuokwo. From 45 African universities, only a few remained. Now, they face Nigerian powerhouses Adekunle Ajasin University and the University of Lagos. They are in an Africa Football Law competition from 5-6 December, 2025.
The case is a compelling twist: a Ugandan club vs. a Nigerian player, tangled in contracts and FIFA rules. For Walusimbi, a veteran activist for Ugandan football reform, the theme “Contractual Stability in International Arbitration” hits close to home. He’ll face a panel of global sports law heavyweights: Ricardo De Buen (CAS), George Gradev (SILA International), Okey Obi (Nigeria Football Federation), and Khayran Noor (East Africa Law Society).
No sprinting, no goals, just sharp arguments. Walusimbi will fuse his on-field grit with legal finesse, exposing the raw power dynamics and broken contracts that scar African football. Delivering his rebuttal, he steps into a new role: guardian of the game. The pitch has changed, but the fight remains.
