A specialized training course aimed at grooming badminton umpires was successfully concluded in Shaviyani Milandhoo, with 18 participants completing the program and receiving official certification. The closing ceremony was officiated by State Minister for Sports, Ahmed Mohamed Waheed, who presented certificates to the successful candidates.
The seven-day training course was conducted from September 22 to September 28, organised as a joint initiative between the Ministry of Sports, the Badminton Association of Maldives, the Milandhoo Island Council, and the Maldives National Institute of Sports.
Throughout the week-long program, participants underwent rigorous theoretical instruction on the latest international rules and match control mechanics, paired with extensive practical evaluation sessions designed to simulate live competitive play. The course was led by experienced national instructors Abdul Kareem and Ahmed Shiham, who guided the trainees through technical regulations and on-court officiating procedures.
The initiative is part of an ongoing drive to decentralise sports governance and empower local communities across the atolls with accredited technical personnel. With 18 newly certified match officials now based in Shaviyani Atoll, the program significantly boosts the regional capacity to officiate atoll-level and national-tier badminton competitions.