Government plans to step up enforcement of standards across sports academies as it seeks to professionalise talent development and position local athletes for global competition, Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Iddie Adams said during a visit to BVB International Academy Ghana.
The National Sports Authority (NSA) will soon roll out monitoring and compliance measures to ensure academies meet minimum requirements for facilities, coaching and player welfare, Adams said, underscoring the administration’s push to raise quality across the sector. He said sustained investment in modern training infrastructure is critical if Ghana is to consistently produce athletes capable of competing at international levels.
The minister was speaking during a meeting with officials of BVB International Academy Ghana, an affiliate of Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, one of Europe’s most commercially successful football clubs. The academy, established in 2022 through a partnership with Accra Shooting Stars, is part of a global BVB youth development network spanning Africa, Asia and South America.
Operating from Achimota School Park in Accra, the academy trains players aged five to 18 under a structured curriculum modelled on Borussia Dortmund’s development system. It has begun offering scholarships and pathways for standout talents to travel to Europe for further training, reflecting a growing pipeline linking Ghana’s grassroots football to overseas markets.
Adams praised the academy’s focus on early talent identification, describing it as aligned with the government’s long-term strategy to build excellence through youth development. He encouraged BVB International Academy Ghana to consider expanding into a residential facility, a move that could widen access for promising players from outside the capital and deepen the academy’s national footprint.
He also commended Achimota School for hosting the project and urged the academy to support sports development within the school as part of a reciprocal partnership.
The minister reiterated that the government will not compromise on standards, saying the NSA will enforce compliance across all academies. He said initiatives such as BVB International Academy Ghana demonstrate how private-sector and international partnerships can accelerate sports development, while reaffirming state support for programmes that combine quality training, safeguarding and clear pathways to professional careers.
