Immigration Rules
Immigration Rules: Immigration Rules Appendix Sports Governing Bodies
gov.uk change note: Changes made with reference to Statement of Changes HC 1691.
Headline
The Immigration Rules Appendix Sports Governing Bodies has been reformatted from a basic table to a proper markdown table structure, with no substantive changes to the list of approved sports governing bodies or their territorial coverage.
Changes in detail
- Table formatting throughout — The entire sports governing bodies table has been converted from a basic two-column format to proper markdown table syntax. All 55 sport/governing body entries retain identical content but now use standard table formatting with pipe separators (|) and proper column headers.
Practical implications
This is a purely cosmetic change with no impact on practice. All approved sports governing bodies remain the same, their territorial coverage is unchanged, and the endorsement requirements for International Sportsperson applications are unaffected. Practitioners can continue to advise clients and prepare applications exactly as before.
Administrative changes
The entire document has been reformatted to use proper markdown table syntax rather than the previous basic formatting. This improves readability but changes no substantive content. Two blank lines have also been added after the introductory paragraphs for spacing purposes.
Diff
@@ -1,303 +1,378 @@ This appendix lists the Home Office approved Sports Governing Bodies for International Sportsperson applications. Applicants on this route must be endorsed by the relevant governing body from the table below, and the Certificate of Sponsorship relating to the application must confirm this endorsement. + Endorsements can only be issued to applicants covered by one of the following sports governing bodies. + Governing bodies cover the UK in its entirety unless otherwise stated, where they are only able to issue endorsements for the listed territory. - Sport (and relevant territory) - Governing body +| + | Sport (and relevant territory) + | Governing body - All sports not listed in Appendix Sports Governing Bodies of the Immigration Rules - Home Office - - - American Football (England, Scotland, Wales) - British American Football Association - - - Archery - Archery GB - - - Athletics - UK Athletics - - - Badminton (England only) - Badminton England - - - Badminton (Scotland only) - Badminton Scotland - - - Baseball / Softball - BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK) - - - Basketball (England, Scotland, Wales) - Basketball England - - - Basketball (Northern Ireland) - Basketball Ireland - - - Boxing - British Boxing Board of Control - - - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - UK Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association - - - Canoeing (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) - British Canoeing (trading as Paddle UK) - - - Canoeing (Scotland) - Scottish Canoe Association (trading as Paddle Scotland) - - - Chinese Martial Arts - British Council for Chinese Martial Arts - - - Cricket (England, Wales) - England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) - - - Cricket (Scotland) - Cricket Scotland - - - Cricket (Northern Ireland) - Cricket Ireland - - - Curling - Royal Caledonian Curling Club - - - Cycling - British Cycling - - - Darts - The Darts Regulation Authority - - - Equestrianism - British Horse Society - - - Fencing - British Fencing - - - Field Hockey (England) - England Hockey - - - Field Hockey (Scotland) - Scottish Hockey Union - - - Field Hockey (Wales) - Welsh Hockey Union - - - Field Hockey (Northern Ireland) - Hockey Ireland - - - Football (England) - The Football Association - - - Football (Scotland) - Scottish Football Association - - - Football (Wales) - The Football Association of Wales - - - Football (Northern Ireland) - Irish Football Association - - - Gymnastics - British Gymnastics - - - Handball - British Handball - - - Horseracing - British Horseracing Authority - - - Ice Hockey - Ice Hockey (UK) - - - Ice Skating - British Ice Skating - - - Judo - British Judo Association - - - Kabaddi - England Kabaddi Federation (UK) Registered - - - Kendo - British Kendo Association - - - Lacrosse - English Lacrosse - - - Motorcycling (except speedway) (England, Scotland, Wales) - Auto-cycle Union - - - Motorsports - Motorsport UK - - - Netball (Wales) - Wales Netball - - - Netball (England) - England Netball - - - Netball (Northern Ireland) - Netball Northern Ireland - - - Netball (Scotland) - Netball Scotland - - - Polo - Hurlingham Polo Association - - - Rowing - British Rowing - - - Rugby League - Rugby Football League - - - Rugby Union (England) - Rugby Football Union - - - Rugby Union (Scotland) - Scottish Rugby Union - - - Rugby Union (Wales) - Welsh Rugby Union - - - Rugby Union (Northern Ireland) - IRFU (Ulster Branch) - - - Sailing, windsurfing and powerboating - Royal Yachting Association - - - Shooting - British Shooting - - - Snooker - The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association - - - Speedway - British Speedway Promoters Association - - - Squash and racketball (England) - England Squash - - - Squash and racketball (Scotland) - Scottish Squash - - - Swimming, water polo, diving and synchronised swimming (England, Scotland, Wales) - British Swimming - - - Swimming, water polo, diving and synchronised swimming (Northern Ireland) - Swim Ulster - - - Table Tennis - Table Tennis England - - - Taekwondo - GB Taekwondo - - - Tennis (lawn tennis) - Lawn Tennis Association - - - Tennis (real tennis and rackets) - Tennis & Rackets Association - - - Triathlon - British Triathlon - - - Volleyball (England) - Volleyball England - - - Volleyball (Northern Ireland) - Northern Ireland Volleyball - - - Volleyball (Scotland) - Scottish Volleyball - - - Wheelchair Basketball - British Wheelchair Basketball - - - Wheelchair Rugby (England, Scotland, Wales) - Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby - - - Wrestling - British Wrestling Association - - - Yoga - The British Wheel of Yoga +| + | All sports not listed in Appendix Sports Governing Bodies of the Immigration Rules + | Home Office + + +| + | American Football (England, Scotland, Wales) + | British American Football Association + + +| + | Archery + | Archery GB + + +| + | Athletics + | UK Athletics + + +| + | Badminton (England only) + | Badminton England + + +| + | Badminton (Scotland only) + | Badminton Scotland + + +| + | Baseball / Softball + | BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK) + + +| + | Basketball (England, Scotland, Wales) + | Basketball England + + +| + | Basketball (Northern Ireland) + | Basketball Ireland + + +| + | Boxing + | British Boxing Board of Control + + +| + | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu + | UK Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association + + +| + | Canoeing (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) + | British Canoeing (trading as Paddle UK) + + +| + | Canoeing (Scotland) + | Scottish Canoe Association (trading as Paddle Scotland) + + +| + | Chinese Martial Arts + | British Council for Chinese Martial Arts + + +| + | Cricket (England, Wales) + | England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) + + +| + | Cricket (Scotland) + | Cricket Scotland + + +| + | Cricket (Northern Ireland) + | Cricket Ireland + + +| + | Curling + | Royal Caledonian Curling Club + + +| + | Cycling + | British Cycling + + +| + | Darts + | The Darts Regulation Authority + + +| + | Equestrianism + | British Horse Society + + +| + | Fencing + | British Fencing + + +| + | Field Hockey (England) + | England Hockey + + +| + | Field Hockey (Scotland) + | Scottish Hockey Union + + +| + | Field Hockey (Wales) + | Welsh Hockey Union + + +| + | Field Hockey (Northern Ireland) + | Hockey Ireland + + +| + | Football (England) + | The Football Association + + +| + | Football (Scotland) + | Scottish Football Association + + +| + | Football (Wales) + | The Football Association of Wales + + +| + | Football (Northern Ireland) + | Irish Football Association + + +| + | Gymnastics + | British Gymnastics + + +| + | Handball + | British Handball + + +| + | Horseracing + | British Horseracing Authority + + +| + | Ice Hockey + | Ice Hockey (UK) + + +| + | Ice Skating + | British Ice Skating + + +| + | Judo + | British Judo Association + + +| + | Kabaddi + | England Kabaddi Federation (UK) Registered + + +| + | Kendo + | British Kendo Association + + +| + | Lacrosse + | English Lacrosse + + +| + | Motorcycling (except speedway) (England, Scotland, Wales) + | Auto-cycle Union + + +| + | Motorsports + | Motorsport UK + + +| + | Netball (Wales) + | Wales Netball + + +| + | Netball (England) + | England Netball + + +| + | Netball (Northern Ireland) + | Netball Northern Ireland + + +| + | Netball (Scotland) + | Netball Scotland + + +| + | Polo + | Hurlingham Polo Association + + +| + | Rowing + | British Rowing + + +| + | Rugby League + | Rugby Football League + + +| + | Rugby Union (England) + | Rugby Football Union + + +| + | Rugby Union (Scotland) + | Scottish Rugby Union + + +| + | Rugby Union (Wales) + | Welsh Rugby Union + + +| + | Rugby Union (Northern Ireland) + | IRFU (Ulster Branch) + + +| + | Sailing, windsurfing and powerboating + | Royal Yachting Association + + +| + | Shooting + | British Shooting + + +| + | Snooker + | The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association + + +| + | Speedway + | British Speedway Promoters Association + + +| + | Squash and racketball (England) + | England Squash + + +| + | Squash and racketball (Scotland) + | Scottish Squash + + +| + | Swimming, water polo, diving and synchronised swimming (England, Scotland, Wales) + | British Swimming + + +| + | Swimming, water polo, diving and synchronised swimming (Northern Ireland) + | Swim Ulster + + +| + | Table Tennis + | Table Tennis England + + +| + | Taekwondo + | GB Taekwondo + + +| + | Tennis (lawn tennis) + | Lawn Tennis Association + + +| + | Tennis (real tennis and rackets) + | Tennis & Rackets Association + + +| + | Triathlon + | British Triathlon + + +| + | Volleyball (England) + | Volleyball England + + +| + | Volleyball (Northern Ireland) + | Northern Ireland Volleyball + + +| + | Volleyball (Scotland) + | Scottish Volleyball + + +| + | Wheelchair Basketball + | British Wheelchair Basketball + + +| + | Wheelchair Rugby (England, Scotland, Wales) + | Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby + + +| + | Wrestling + | British Wrestling Association + + +| + | Yoga + | The British Wheel of Yoga