Africa-Press – Lesotho. Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) officially launched a Technical Course for Badminton Technical Officials this week to uplift the standard of badminton in Lesotho.
The official launch was presided over by Dr. Lebohang Khorami on behalf of the LNOC President.
The course, which will run until Friday, 18 July, aims to strengthen the technical knowledge and capacity of 25 participants drawn from various badminton clubs across the country. It is being facilitated by Mr. Ahmed Reda, an internationally recognised expert from the Confederation of African Badminton (Badminton Africa).
Mr. Reda, who brings years of experience in badminton development across the continent, is leading the five-day course. His presence is a testament to LNOC’s commitment to international collaboration and ensuring that local sports officials are equipped with globally accepted standards and techniques.
The course is being funded through Olympic Solidarity, a global programme designed to support National Olympic Committees with limited resources by providing funding for development projects, coaching, and athlete preparation.
Through this partnership, the LNOC has been able to offer the training at no cost to the participants ensuring that financial limitations do not prevent learning and growth.
The funding covers the course materials, facilitation, and participant welfare, giving the attendees an opportunity to focus solely on building their skills and knowledge.
This initiative is part of LNOC’s broader strategy to invest in the people who make sport happen coaches, referees, and technical officials. The Committee has recognised that to raise the standard of play and athlete performance, equal attention must be given to those managing the game behind the scenes.
The participants, selected from various districts, include coaches, club officials, and aspiring referees. Once certified, they are expected to play key roles in officiating local competitions, mentoring young athletes, and helping to set up structured badminton activities across Lesotho.
Lesotho has had limited representation in international badminton tournaments, mainly due to a lack of technical support, proper officiating, and limited access to formal training. With the successful rollout of this technical course, the LNOC hopes to close these gaps.
The hope is that with more trained technical staff, Lesotho can confidently host international fixtures and send athletes abroad with full technical support.
The LNOC has made it clear that the development of sport in Lesotho must be sustainable, inclusive, and driven by local capacity. Through programmes like this, the Committee is not only improving the current state of sport but also laying down strong foundations for the future.
All sports matter. Badminton, like many others, has the potential to bring medals, scholarships, and pride to Lesotho.
As the course concludes this week, participants will undergo both theoretical and practical assessments to test their understanding of the rules, ethics, scoring systems, and match management.
Those who pass will receive international recognition under Badminton Africa, making them eligible to officiate official tournaments both locally and regionally.
The LNOC has promised more similar training courses across various sports disciplines in the coming months as part of its 2025-2028 Sports Development Master Plan.
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