The race for the 2026 National Volleyball League (NVL) title has been rocked by off-court drama after Nemostars Volleyball Club issued a blistering official statement categorically rejecting allegations of player ineligibility.
The controversy follows a petition filed by rivals Elyon Volleyball Club, which accused the regular-season leaders of fielding ‘illegal’ players during the high-stakes playoff campaign.
Nemostars, who finished at the summit of the table this season, have labelled the petition ‘baseless’ and a calculated attempt to derail their championship aspirations at the most critical juncture of the competition.
At the heart of the dispute are players Salva Marial and Federicko Mujinya. Nemostars management maintains that both athletes were registered in strict accordance with the Uganda Volleyball Federation (UVF) constitution and the 2022 UVF bylaws.
In their defence, the club highlighted that all players in question were officially cleared by the federation at the start of the 2026 season and participated in regular-season fixtures without any formal objections being raised by rival teams or officials.
The club further asserted their compliance with international FIVB standards, even shifting the spotlight back onto the league by suggesting that other clubs are currently fielding non-Ugandan players without valid International Transfer Certificates (ITCs) without facing similar scrutiny.
The timing of the petition has particularly irked the Nemostars leadership, who described it as ‘malicious’and a strategic move to disrupt their momentum following a dominant regular season.
As the UVF reviews the communication, Nemostars has signaled its intent to fight any potential sanctions, stating they are prepared to explore all legal avenues through the federation and higher sporting bodies to appeal any decision that might unjustly disqualify them from the finals.
While the league waits for a final verdict from the federation, Nemostars has called for fair play and expressed gratitude to their supporters as they navigate this legal hurdle in their quest for the 2026 trophy.
