Sierra Leone: ITF Development Officer Arrives in Town Today

Concord Times (Freetown)

19 May 2011

Freetown — The International Tennis Federation (ITF) development officer for West and Central Africa, Amine Ben Makhlouf, will today (Thursday) arrive in Freetown for a four-day visit.

The Senegalese-based officer during his four days visit will meet with coaches across the country and will also conduct a two-day refresher course for local coaches at the National Stadium in Freetown.

He will also meet with members of the National Sports Council, the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone and the executive of the Sierra Leone Lawn Tennis Association (SLLTA), where several issues relating to the development of the sport in the country will be discussed.

This is the first visit of Ben Makhlouf in the country and according to the SLLTA scribe, Yayah Koroma, his visit will contribute greatly towards the development of the sport in the country.

“Ben Makhlouf’s coming is a needs assessment visit wherein he will look at the urgent needs of the SLTTA, and amongst those is the construction of a tennis academy in the country,” Koroma said, adding that the ITF officer will also look at the school tennis initiative and officiating course for officials.

“The association is ready to receive him and we hope to benefit from this visit because we are determined to improve the standard of the sport in the country,” Koroma said.

In 2004, Ben Makhlouf was one of the ITF development officers who spent an average of 25 weeks on the road working with national associations, players and coaches in more than 120 countries to develop the game of tennis.

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