Ahead of the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, the French Badminton Federation is deepening its partnership with the Senegalese Badminton Federation to build a self-sustaining national framework for technical officials. The collaborative effort, which builds on foundations laid in 2022, focuses on empowering local authorities to independently train, evaluate, and certify referees, tournament organizers, and line judges in alignment with continental and international standards.
Laying the Groundwork for Dakar 2026
The Badminton Confederation of Africa recently orchestrated a dedicated training seminar for 40 technical officials, including referees and line judges, immediately preceding a busy stretch of international competition hosted in Senegal. To support this push, the French Badminton Federation dispatched two specialized instructors: Marc Quiniet, who oversees referee continuing education and evaluation, and Béatrice Levisse, who focuses on line judge manager training and performance tracking.
These officials are sharpening their skills in real-world environments during two back-to-back international tournaments staged at the Stade Lat Dior in Thiès. The action runs through the Senegal International and the Senegal Junior International fixtures, providing crucial high-pressure reps for personnel slated to officiate at the upcoming Youth Olympic Games.
Building a Lasting Legacy in West African Badminton
Beyond the immediate demands of Dakar 2026—the first Olympic event ever hosted on the African continent—organizers view the project as a catalyst for long-term development. A key component of the initiative involves formalizing Senegal’s refereeing pathway and preparing a reference rulebook translated into Wolof. These measures are designed to cement the host federation’s institutional autonomy long after the Olympic flame is extinguished.
The multilateral cooperation draws strength from a wide coalition of sports bodies and government ministries. Key contributors include the Senegalese Badminton Federation, the French Badminton Federation, the Badminton World Federation, the Badminton Confederation of Africa, the Francophone Badminton Association, Senegal’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, the French Ministry of Sports, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee, the Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the Francophonie, and the International Confederation of Francophone Sports Unions.
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