By Benard Worlali Awumee, GNA
Anloga, (V/R), April 10, GNA, Mr Godwin Atsu Adukpo, a Ghanaian sports personality, has made a strong appeal to the National Sports Authority to abolish the practice of weight checking (scaling) in the country’s school sports system, describing it as outdated and counterproductive to talent development.
Mr Adukpo made this call while delivering an address at a public lecture organised by the Volta/Oti Regional Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) in Ho.
The lecture, which brought together sports stakeholders, educators, and students, was held under the theme: “The Benefits of School Sports, Sacrifices, and the Need for Students’ Participation.”
Mr Adukpo argued that the longstanding practice of scaling student-athletes before competitions discourages participation and limits the growth of young talents. H
e emphasised that at the basic school level, sports development should prioritise skill acquisition, physical fitness, and fair play over rigid adherence to weight classifications.
According to him, the current system sidelines many promising athletes who may not meet prescribed weight requirements, thereby undermining the broader objective of grassroots sports development in Ghana.
He noted that such practices fail to reflect the inclusive and developmental spirit that school sports are meant to embody.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on he sidelines, Mr Adukpo further criticised the approach maintained by the Ghana Education Service, stating that it falls short of international standards observed in many competitive sports frameworks. He urged both the National Sports Authority and the Ghana Education Service to review and reform existing policies to make school sports more appealing and inclusive.
Additionally, he called for the introduction of innovative and engaging sporting activities within schools to enhance student interest and participation, stressing the importance of motivation in nurturing future athletes.
“When we were in school, sports were not only exciting but highly competitive. We participated with pride, striving to win medals for our schools and for ourselves. However, I am not sure the same can be said about sports in schools today—something must change,” Adukpo said.
“Some of us came from deprived backgrounds, so we relied on our sporting talents, and that is what we continue to benefit from today,” Adukpo recounted.
Mr Adukpo, a former champion of the prestigious Ghana Milo Marathon, boasts an illustrious athletic career, having secured four victories in the competition (2005, 2008, 2009, and 2010). An alumnus of Anlo Senior High School, he distinguished himself as a long-distance runner during his school years whose records still hold today
Currently serving as an officer with the Ghana Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Mr Adukpo remains actively involved in physical training and athletics coaching, and philanthropist works contributing to the development of emerging talents.
His call for reform is expected to ignite broader discussions among sports authorities, educators, and policymakers on the need to modernise Ghana’s school sports framework to better identify and nurture young athletes.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade