Felix Lartey Calls for Stronger Sports Development Systems Across Africa
Former Ghana national table tennis champion Felix Lartey has urged African nations to prioritise structured athlete development, arguing that sustainable sporting success depends on creating systems that nurture talent rather than relying solely on natural ability.
Lartey believes the difference between African sports and leading sporting nations lies not in talent, but in the systems established to identify, support and develop athletes from an early age.
Drawing from his experiences in both Ghana and the United States, the former national champion noted that the approach to athlete development differs significantly.
According to him, while African coaches often search for gifted athletes, the situation is reversed in countries with well-established sporting structures.
“In many African countries, coaches chase talented athletes. In the United States, talented athletes seek out coaches because the system creates opportunities,” Lartey said.
He stressed that creating the right environment is essential if Ghana and other African countries want to consistently produce world-class performers.
“Ghana and Africa must build structures that value, nurture and develop talent,” he added.
Lartey explained that a well-organised sports system encourages athletes to pursue excellence because they know opportunities for growth, education and competition are readily available.
He believes investing in grassroots programmes, qualified coaches, modern facilities and athlete welfare will create a pipeline capable of producing champions across different sporting disciplines.
