In a proud moment for Goa’s badminton fraternity, Sandeep Heble has secured the second rank in the prestigious Badminton Association of India (BAI) National Match Control Examination 2025. The examination was conducted in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, during the recently concluded Senior National Badminton Championships. As per official results declared by BAI, only a select few candidates across the country successfully cleared the highly competitive examination, with Heble emerging among the top performers in second rank. Notably, just one candidate from each state was nominated, highlighting the rigorous standards and elite nature of the certification process, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the technical and officiating excellence at national-level tournaments. Heble is the first official from Goa to attain this distinction in badminton at the national level. The Match Control certification, trains officials in managing draws, scheduling, and overall technical operations of tournaments. As one of the key roles in tournament management, match controllers are central to ensuring the smooth conduct of competitions at State and national level.
Heble, a former Secretary of the Goa Badminton Association (2016–2024) and a National-level table tennis umpire, has contributed significantly to the sport’s ecosystem in Goa. Reflecting on his journey, he said, “During my tenure, efforts were made to encourage youngsters to take up coaching, and it is good to see many of them now involved in grassroots training. Going forward, I hope to contribute towards developing more qualified technical officials, as this is an area where we need to build greater depth.”
Congratulating him on this achievement, Goa Badminton Association, through its President Manoj Patil, stated, “Heble’s accomplishment is a matter of immense pride for Goa badminton. His unwavering commitment, both as an administrator and a technical official, has significantly contributed to the growth of the sport in the state. We congratulate him on this well-deserved success and wish him continued excellence in the years ahead.”
