Ghana Badminton Association national circular update 2022

Dear Members, Clubs, Affiliates and Regional Associations:

Further to our regular memorandum and updates, Ghana Badminton wishes to share with you and your membership activities and events for this first quarter of 2022.

Tentative Calendar Update 2022 – Activated

Following our updated process, please find tentative National (Click here), African click here and World Events Calendar click here for the 2022 Calendar Year .We are still monitoring the prevalence of the pandemic and more updates will be automatically updated on future events and activities. Please share this to your sporting community.

Sponsorship by Commission-Agents Needed

Since the 2021, the Board of Director approved a commission-based formulae for anyone who assists the Association to secure sponsorships or donations. Highlights of our sponsoring programme is found on the website click here and we will be happy to discuss with you for this help for the good of all of us, in building a formidable squad for our Olympic journey. Please email us on bag@ghanabadminton.org if this will be ideal for you and your partners and commercial networks.

Olympic Scholarships for Athletes – Get Ready for Paris 2024 Olympic Games Announced

On January 17, 2022, Ghana Badminton received a communication from the Ghana Olympic Committee towards Olympic solidarity grants and or scholarship through the support of International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Solidarity (OS) funding. The Ghana Badminton and Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) will support athletes on their journey to prepare and qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Ghana Badminton Association is now inviting applications for Paris 2024 Olympic OS Scholarships. To qualify, candidates must show realistic prospects of qualification to the Games of Paris 2024 and must show that OS funding will have a tangible impact on performance. Successful applicants will benefit from a pre-finance of at least $500 per month for 30 months (January 2022 -June 2024). The total award for the four-year period is almost $15,000. Ghana Badminton will nominate two athletes.

We invited athletes to nominate and complete for consideration by the Olympic Committee of Ghana. The total number of scholarships available for all 20 Individual Olympic Federations, almost 40 athletes expected and as per previous cycles, only 8-12 will be chosen/selected.  More information is available on the website click here on application submission before the deadline submission of January 23^rd, 2022.

The individual scholarships give NOCs the possibility to get financial and technical help for a few elite athletes who are training and attempting to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The scholarship offers selected athletes a fixed monthly grant for their training and qualification costs that may contribute to the following items:

• Access to training facilities.
• A Coach specialised in the relevant sporting discipline.
• Regular medical and scientific help and monitoring.
• Accident and illness insurance since medical interventions are not covered by Olympic Solidarity.
• Board and lodging costs.
• Pocket money.
• Travel costs for the athlete to take part in competitions, including Olympic qualification events.

Once a scholarship is awarded by Olympic Solidarity, if successful, the Ghana Badminton and the NOC is responsible for agreeing with the management of the athlete on the use of the scholarship and the subsequent management of the funds as well as reporting to Olympic Solidarity through the NOC.

Q1 2022 Events

1. 2022 Commonwealth Games Qualifier -African TUC, International Challenge and African Youth Games Qualifying Events

With 15 Qualifying Athletes invited (8 Seniors, and 7 Juniors ) invited per Selection criteria (click here) in Camp for our African Team Competitions, which will achieve the following results under our 2024 High Performance Plan, click here;

• It provides a benchmark to compare as a tool for comparison to other African countries of relative program strength.
• It is important politically in sports for Ghana Badminton players to remain and receive key international competitions with its world ranking points.
• It is an excellent high-level opportunity and development experience for our national Athletes, technical officials, and coaches from a competitive and Multi-Sport Games qualification perspective.
• Provides an opportunity for a final qualification for the 2022 African Youth Games.
• Provides an opportunity for a final qualification for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
• Preparing our technical officials to officiate at the 2023 African Games.

2022 Clubs and Affiliates Subscription Invoice

With the new subscriptions for the 2022-2025 invoices for club to be in good standing will be sent out by the treasurer’s desk by January 30, 2022. This is due on February 28, 2022. We refer to the regularisation of your annual club membership status and bring to your notice that your Club membership (individual members subscription and club subscription) with the Association for the assessment period of the quadrennial year must be paid for you to be member in good standing.

Kindly take notice that as a member (club members) not in good standing, you are NOT allowed to:

·    Receive and be conferred to any of the fourteen membership privileges in the Association

·    Be invited, delegated to or and attend any meetings, playing or gatherings

·    Be involved in any Badminton related activities at any level

·    Eligibility for any Grant, if otherwise eligible.

·    Receive any protocol and financial assistance for your club and its members

Per article of Association click here, unpaid Subscriptions shall automatically accrue a 10% monthly penalty on any unpaid subscription or levy if such sum or sums remain unpaid one month after their due date. Please expect an invoice for your records and payment action.

A member shall not again be in good standing until they have paid all their subscriptions. More information is available at the club section of the association website click here. We hope you will take the time to renew your membership and remain a part of the Association for the assessment period of this quadrennial year of 2022-2024. Should any club or group need recommendation letter to support your participation in fundraising activities? Please send your request to bag@ghanabadminton.org and the admin team will quickly assist.

President Cup Event

2022 President Championships (Only Aged 17-35 can participate).

For Registration, Event Prospectus, Promotion gallery and more information will be available from January 30, 2022

Being selected as a member of a national team representing Ghana is a great honour. Following the success of the recently held U35 and Juniors National Events National Championships, Ghana Badminton Association (BAG) recognises the importance of the next generation of young Ghanaians Badminton players and assisting in their development.

BAG has established a goal under the 2024 High Performance Plan (linked here) of providing more support and guidance to these athletes with the vision of greater success on the international stage, of which we have been the first or with the first since 2017 on the continental stage.

Participation in the President Championships is important for Ghana Badminton for the following reasons-

• Provides current updated ranking for our athletes.
• It provides a benchmark to compare the level of development in Ghana with the rest of the Africa Zone.
• It is an excellent development experience for athletes and coaches whilst bringing key ranking points opportunities
• It is important politically for Ghana Badminton to remain active in key national competitions.
• There may be progressive career and funding opportunities available for our budding athletes.
• Create opportunities to better develop the Ghana badminton Athlete System and Junior National Team program.
• Provide training and development opportunities for technical team and players.

With entries open and being submitted already by some club’s and associates -some from very remote and notable areas of Ghana, join us in welcoming these budding talents from your communities, and common interest groups and look forward to you joining us at the highest level of competition for our up-and-coming talents, most of whom you will want to watch.

Sponsorships for Club and Affiliates.

In improving fundraising at the local club level, for these two events, we have support clubs in good standing with national support recommendation letters to help raise funds within their locality to support logistics, registrations, etc. We are happy with some reported success trickling in with the club fundraising agenda. Your players and technical team are grateful. We are also happy and want to thank MPs, DCEs, donor’s and you.

Should any club or group need such recommendation letter to support your participation fundraising activities. Please do not hesitate to send your request to bag@ghanabadminton.org and the admin team will quickly assist.

www.ghanabadminton.org website

Kindly look into the website (linked here) and, like our social media handles regularly and watch out for announcements and updates. We are currently the most informed sports website in Ghana, and we could not have done this without your help!

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Kind regards,