KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia could take up to eight years before seeing tangible results from its National Sports Talent Plan (MyTP), as the country pushes ahead with an ambitious long-term vision to position itself as a global leader in sports science by 2040.
Speaking to Scoop, Belgian sports scientist Professor Emeritus Dr Johan Pion, the architect behind the Sport Compass system that underpins the MyTP framework, said meaningful outcomes from such talent identification reforms require patience, consistency and long-term institutional commitment.
“People often expect quick results, but in reality, you do not see real change in one year or even two years,” he said.
“If I look at what we did in Flanders, we tested between 2007 and 2010, and only now—more than 15 years later—we are seeing the full impact of those early decisions.
“That is the reality of talent development. You invest today for results many years down the line.”
He added that Malaysia’s system is still in its early phase of implementation, which was officially launched on April 22 this year.
“This is just the start. The process has begun, but implementation takes time. You need to test, adjust, improve and refine the system continuously,” he said.
“I would say it takes at least six, seven or even eight years before you can properly evaluate outcomes in a meaningful way.”
Pion said the long-term ambition is not only to produce elite athletes, but also to build a stronger sporting culture at grassroots level and improve physical literacy among children nationwide.
“The ultimate goal is not just medals. Of course, medals are part of the system, but they are not the real objective,” he said.
“The bigger picture is to have more children involved in sport, enjoying sport, becoming better movers and better athletes. If we achieve that foundation, then success at international level will follow more naturally.”
Malaysia’s approach is based on adapting the Belgian-developed Sport Compass model, which has also drawn from systems in Australia, the Netherlands and Canada.
However, Dr Pion stressed that the framework cannot simply be replicated without localisation.
“You cannot simply copy and paste a system from Belgium or the Netherlands into Malaysia,” he said.
“Even between neighbouring countries in Europe, the cultural differences are significant. So for Malaysia, the system must be translated into a local context.”
“We prefer to develop it as a Malaysian concept rather than a direct copy. The tools and principles are there, but they must be adapted to Malaysian culture, schools and sporting structures. Otherwise, it will not work effectively.”
He added that Malaysia’s long-term ambition could eventually place the country at the forefront of sports science innovation globally.
“When we started in Australia in the 1980s and later in Belgium in 2015, those systems were considered state of the art at the time,” he said.
“If Malaysia continues on this path, then by 2030 or 2040 it is entirely possible that it could have one of the most advanced automated talent identification systems in the world.”
Pion also highlighted the shift towards automation within Malaysia’s sports ecosystem under the National Sports Institute (NSI), saying it could transform how talent is identified and assessed.
“Traditionally, testing children requires a large number of people, significant time and considerable cost,” he said.
“But with automation, once the system is built, data is collected directly into computers in real time.”
“That means fewer errors, less manpower and far greater consistency in evaluation. This is the direction forward—using technology to support decision-making in sport.”
He described the initiative as a “science-driven but practical system” designed to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world coaching application.
“Sports science is often very theoretical. People enjoy equations and models, but what matters to me is whether we can translate that into something coaches can actually use,” he said.
“This system is about taking theory and making it practical. It is about giving coaches real tools, not just academic frameworks.”
Reflecting on his role, Pion said his involvement in Malaysia is driven by collaboration rather than consultancy.
“It is not my personal goal. I am retired, so I do this because I want to share my experience,” he said. “As long as they can use my knowledge, I am happy to contribute. But the goal belongs to Malaysia, not to me.”
The National Sports Talent Plan (MyTP) is a strategic national framework led by NSI to strengthen athlete development in a more systematic, structured and data-driven way.
It focuses on improving how sporting talent is identified, developed and supported across all National Sports Associations (NSAs) by introducing sport-specific development plans and closer collaboration between stakeholders.
In short, MyTP is about building a more coordinated and evidence-based talent development system to improve Malaysia’s long-term performance at international sporting level. – May 21, 2026