Ghana’s swimming development programme has received a significant boost after coach Desmond Amponsah graduated from the 16th edition of the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The graduation ceremony took place at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters, marking the completion of a four-part advanced coaching programme held between April 18 and 23. The course is designed to strengthen high-performance coaching and leadership skills across a range of sports disciplines.
The ICECP is organised by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee in partnership with the University of Delaware, with support from Olympic Solidarity, the IOC’s development arm focused on supporting athletes and coaches worldwide.
Amponsah, who coaches for Ghana Bluefins, participated in the programme on a scholarship facilitated by the Ghana Swimming Association through the Ghana Olympic Committee.
His achievement is expected to have a direct impact on swimming development in Ghana, particularly in strengthening coaching structures at the grassroots level.
He currently leads the Ghana Swimming Pathway project, which began as a series of workshops aimed at introducing local coaches to Long-Term Athlete Development principles and physical literacy.
With his new international exposure, Amponsah is expected to deepen these efforts and contribute to building a more structured and sustainable development pathway for young swimmers in the country.
The ICECP is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading coaching education programmes, bringing together participants from different countries to exchange knowledge, experiences and best practices in sport development.