Ghana has taken another significant step towards strengthening its Paralympic technical capacity after Dr Eric Tetteh Ayertey represented the country at the 2026 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Annual Classification Meeting in Bonn, Germany, through sponsorship from the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Ghana.
Held from July 15 to 18, the annual meeting brought together classification experts, medical professionals, researchers, representatives of International Federations, National Paralympic Committees and Regional Organisations to discuss the latest developments in athlete classification and promote fairness across Para sport.
Dr Ayertey, a member of NPC Ghana's Medical, Classification and Anti-Doping Team, attended the four-day event under a capacity-building initiative spearheaded by NPC Ghana President Samson Deen.
The initiative is aimed at equipping Ghanaian technical personnel with world-class expertise to support the country's growing Paralympic movement.
During the meeting, Dr Ayertey participated in advanced technical workshops, educational sessions, policy discussions and strategic engagements while interacting with leading international classification specialists.
The programme also enabled him to establish valuable professional networks and acquire knowledge expected to strengthen Ghana's national classification system.
The meeting also featured the 2026 IPC Classification Recognition Awards, during which four distinguished international classification leaders were honoured for their outstanding contributions to advancing athlete classification and safeguarding the integrity of Paralympic sport.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr Deen said investing in technical personnel remains central to NPC Ghana's long-term vision of building a strong and sustainable Paralympic movement.
"Preparing elite athletes alone is not enough. We must also develop world-class medical, classification and technical experts who can support our athletes at every stage of their careers. That is why NPC Ghana continues to invest in education, international exposure and capacity building," he said.
Mr Deen added that sponsoring Dr Ayertey's participation demonstrates NPC Ghana's commitment to aligning Ghana's classification system with international standards.
"The knowledge gained from programmes like this will strengthen our local classification system, improve services for our athletes and ensure Ghana remains among the leading nations driving Para sport development in Africa."
"We will continue creating opportunities for our technical personnel because investing in people is investing in the future of Ghana's Paralympic movement," he stated.
As NPC Ghana continues to champion inclusion and the development of Para sport, the committee believes the expertise acquired by Dr Ayertey will enhance athlete services, strengthen the training of local classifiers and better position Ghana for future international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
