National badminton team representing Botswana
Botswana |
| Association | Botswana Badminton Association (BBA) |
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| Confederation | BCA (Africa) |
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| Chairman | Marumo Morule |
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|
| Current ranking | 97  2 (2 January 2024) |
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| Highest ranking | 63 (16 October 2014) |
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|
| Appearances | 13 (first in 1998) |
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| Best result | Group stage |
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|
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2004) |
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| Best result | Sixth place (2004) |
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|
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2004) |
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| Best result | Sixth place (2004) |
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The Botswana national badminton team (Tswana: La lesizwe laseBotswana lebhedminton) represents Botswana in international team competitions and is controlled by the Botswana Badminton Association in Gaborone, Botswana.[1] The national team was formed after badminton was starting to be played in Motswana cities, Orapa, Selebi-Phikwe and Jwaneng.
The Motswana team have competed in the African Badminton Championships mixed team event. The team have also participated once at the Summer Universiade in 2017.
History
It is not exactly known when badminton was first played in Botswana. In the 1980s, the sport began to spread locally and was played around the Central District in Francistown, Orapa and Selebi-Phikwe. This led to the formation of the Botswana Badminton Association and the Motswana badminton team in 1990. The Botswana Badminton Association soon joined the Badminton World Federation and the Badminton Confederation of Africa under the chairmanship of Ishmael Bhamjee.[2]
Mixed team
The Motswana team first debuted internationally at the African Mixed Team Championships in 2011.[3] In that same year, the Motswana team qualified and competed in the 10th African Games. The team were drawn into Group 4 with South Africa, Congo-Brazzaville and Ethiopia. The team finished 2nd in the group, beating both Ethiopia and Congo-Brazzaville with a score of 5-0 but lost to South Africa.[4]
The national team continued to compete in the next few editions of the African Mixed Team Championships and later African Games in 2015. The Motswana team placed 3rd in Group 2 and failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.[5]
