Namibia, Germany launch Unified Coach Training
Multi-sport
Namibia has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive sports with the official launch of the Special Olympics Unified Coach Training Programme in Windhoek yesterday, a milestone initiative that aims to empower local coaches and promote unity through sport.
The launch was officiated by the deputy sports minister Dino Ballotti, alongside representatives from the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), Special Olympics Namibia, the German Federal Foreign Office, Special Olympics International and other local partners, including GIZ and the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC).
The programme, which runs throughout November, will train over 100 Namibian coaches and teachers in the Special Olympics Unified Sports methodology, focusing on basketball and volleyball. Training sessions will be conducted in Omaruru (13 to 16 November), Keetmanshoop (20 to 23 November) and Windhoek (25 to 28 November) and will conclude with a Unified Practical Tournament from 29 to 30 November. The competition will see more than 120 athletes with and without intellectual disabilities participating side by side, reflecting the spirit of inclusion and teamwork fostered through the training.
'A major step forward'
Speaking at the launch, Ballotti said the initiative represents a major step forward in the country's inclusive sports agenda.
He said it was with great pride that he joined the gathering at the launch of the Special Olympics Unified Coach Training Programme, a milestone that reaffirms Namibia’s commitment to inclusion, empowerment and the transformative power of sport.
"The ministry views sport not merely as competition but as part of a broader educational and developmental agenda. Sport teaches discipline, teamwork, respect and resilience, values that extend beyond the court into classrooms, workplaces and communities.
"When we empower a coach, we empower a generation of young people who learn to see ability instead of disability and teamwork instead of difference," he said.
Ballotti also commended Special Olympics Namibia and its partners for their dedication to promoting inclusive sports development in the country.
He said that a unified coach is not merely someone who trains athletes but a mentor, advocate and builder of a fairer, kinder Namibia.
Echoing the words of the late Dr Sam Nujoma, he said: "The youth are the torchbearers of the nation’s destiny. When equipped with knowledge, they will build a better Namibia."
Berlin 2023 World Games
National director of Special Olympics Namibia, Levien Smit, highlighted the partnership’s importance as part of the Berlin 2023 World Games Legacy Programme.
"The training is a powerful statement of partnership, compassion and purpose, bringing together global and national institutions to ensure that every person, regardless of ability, finds a place on the playing field. The first workshop will take place in Omaruru at the Olympic Africa Centre, where the focus will be on developing Unified Sports in basketball and volleyball," she said.
Broader vision
International relations manager at DOSB Tobias Antoni praised Namibia’s leadership in fostering inclusive sports and highlighted the broader vision behind the initiative.
"The teachers who will be trained in these workshops will nurture knowledge and skills in children with and without intellectual disabilities. Sport can be a tool for social cohesion, helping to fight stigma and create tolerance. People with intellectual disabilities remain a marginalised group who stand to benefit greatly from this project," he remarked.
Inclusive sports systems
The Unified Coach Training Programme forms part of Germany’s commitment to expanding the global Special Olympics movement and strengthening inclusive sports systems.
It builds on the legacy of the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, where the German Federal Foreign Office and the German sports community pledged long-term support for inclusive development projects worldwide.
Through the initiative, Namibia is taking another stride towards ensuring that sport remains a vehicle for equality, empowerment and unity, where every athlete, regardless of ability, has the chance to shine.
The launch was officiated by the deputy sports minister Dino Ballotti, alongside representatives from the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), Special Olympics Namibia, the German Federal Foreign Office, Special Olympics International and other local partners, including GIZ and the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC).
The programme, which runs throughout November, will train over 100 Namibian coaches and teachers in the Special Olympics Unified Sports methodology, focusing on basketball and volleyball. Training sessions will be conducted in Omaruru (13 to 16 November), Keetmanshoop (20 to 23 November) and Windhoek (25 to 28 November) and will conclude with a Unified Practical Tournament from 29 to 30 November. The competition will see more than 120 athletes with and without intellectual disabilities participating side by side, reflecting the spirit of inclusion and teamwork fostered through the training.
'A major step forward'
Speaking at the launch, Ballotti said the initiative represents a major step forward in the country's inclusive sports agenda.
He said it was with great pride that he joined the gathering at the launch of the Special Olympics Unified Coach Training Programme, a milestone that reaffirms Namibia’s commitment to inclusion, empowerment and the transformative power of sport.
"The ministry views sport not merely as competition but as part of a broader educational and developmental agenda. Sport teaches discipline, teamwork, respect and resilience, values that extend beyond the court into classrooms, workplaces and communities.
"When we empower a coach, we empower a generation of young people who learn to see ability instead of disability and teamwork instead of difference," he said.
Ballotti also commended Special Olympics Namibia and its partners for their dedication to promoting inclusive sports development in the country.
He said that a unified coach is not merely someone who trains athletes but a mentor, advocate and builder of a fairer, kinder Namibia.
Echoing the words of the late Dr Sam Nujoma, he said: "The youth are the torchbearers of the nation’s destiny. When equipped with knowledge, they will build a better Namibia."
Berlin 2023 World Games
National director of Special Olympics Namibia, Levien Smit, highlighted the partnership’s importance as part of the Berlin 2023 World Games Legacy Programme.
"The training is a powerful statement of partnership, compassion and purpose, bringing together global and national institutions to ensure that every person, regardless of ability, finds a place on the playing field. The first workshop will take place in Omaruru at the Olympic Africa Centre, where the focus will be on developing Unified Sports in basketball and volleyball," she said.
Broader vision
International relations manager at DOSB Tobias Antoni praised Namibia’s leadership in fostering inclusive sports and highlighted the broader vision behind the initiative.
"The teachers who will be trained in these workshops will nurture knowledge and skills in children with and without intellectual disabilities. Sport can be a tool for social cohesion, helping to fight stigma and create tolerance. People with intellectual disabilities remain a marginalised group who stand to benefit greatly from this project," he remarked.
Inclusive sports systems
The Unified Coach Training Programme forms part of Germany’s commitment to expanding the global Special Olympics movement and strengthening inclusive sports systems.
It builds on the legacy of the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, where the German Federal Foreign Office and the German sports community pledged long-term support for inclusive development projects worldwide.
Through the initiative, Namibia is taking another stride towards ensuring that sport remains a vehicle for equality, empowerment and unity, where every athlete, regardless of ability, has the chance to shine.
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