Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir has urged all sports administrators to strengthen athlete development through a multi-year or continuous national training camp program, so that Indonesia has a strong foundation for achieving success in international events.
"It's impossible to create athletes in just six months or a year. It takes six to seven years, because it requires a multi-year program ," said Erick after attending the opening of the 2026 National Athletics Championship and the Indonesian U18 Open Championship at the Rawamangun Athletics Stadium.
According to him, this strengthening will be the foundation for improving achievements towards various international events every year.
This is because athlete development cannot be done overnight. Each sport requires a long-term program to ensure a continuous athlete development process from a young age all the way through to the elite level.
He cited the example of preparations for the 2032 Olympics. He continued, saying that preparations should have begun now through ongoing national training.
