The tournament is scheduled for December, 2012 at the Olympic Youth Development Center Zambia Badminton Federation (ZBF) President, Geoffrey Chawiinga, has disclosed that his organsiation will, for the first time, host the Badminton Championship for African schools towards the end of this year.
The tournament, which is scheduled for December this year, will take place immediately after the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa Zone Six Games at the Olympic Youth Development Center (OYDC)
The countries shortlisted for the tournament include Angola, Mauritius, South Africa, Cameroon, Uganda, Tanzania and Botswana.
Speaking in an interview with the Lusaka Star, Chawiinga said it is by mandate that the federation is expected to pick the cream of all the schools around the ten Provinces in Zambia.
“We are picking schools that have excelled in the game of badminton, schools that have participated in badminton tournaments and have helped to put the country on the map, ” he said.
Chawinga disclosed that two of the schools that will represent Zambia in the Badminton Championship for all African schools are Nyimba Secondary and Matero Boys. Other schools are yet to be selected.
The team of schools, which is expected to go into camp at OYDC in December, will be under the full sponsorship of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
"As ZBF, we want to promote badminton. We understand that in Zambia Badminton is considered to be a minor sport. But this should not be the case as all sports displines should be considered equal. Therefore as ZBF, it is our duty to ensure pupils embrace the skill in badminton and perform perfectly at the national level" Chawiinga said.