|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 21 July 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Hockey back on track? by Pelham Juriansz The Sri Lankan hockey team that represented the country at the 2nd Asian Hockey Federation (A.H.F.) games received the bronze medal for their performances. Commenting on the performance of the National Hockey team in Hong Kong at the Asian Federation Hockey Championships, Sri Lanka Hockey Federation Secretary and national umpire Gamini Jayasinghe who accompanied the team said that in spite of the limited facilities available for practice the Sri Lankan team did exceptionally well and performed beyond expectations. The host country, Hong Kong won the Tournament and Chinese Taipei were runners up, with Sri Lanka coming a close third having won three of their six games, drawing one and losing two. The other participating teams were Oman, Singapore, Iran and Macau. Sri Lanka’s opening match was against Oman hockey team (who were the Champions at the first Asian Hockey Federation Cup) and they defeated them by two goals to one. Oman opened scoring in the 22nd minute and thereafter D. M. P. P. Abeyratne scored for Sri Lanka in the 34th minute through a penalty corner to equalise. Saman Wasantha Peiris scored Sri Lanka’s second goal in the 40th minute to give them victory by 2 goals to one. In the second game Sri Lanka lost to Singapore 1-0, Singapore scoring through Harjeat Singh in the 63rd minute. In the third game Sri Lanka lost to Chinese Taipei 1-0, Chung Jung Jeu scoring in the 41st minute. There was a turnaround in the 4th game with Sri Lanka defeating Iran 1-0 the goal scorer being P.P. Abeyratne in the 5th minute. In the 5th game China defeated Sri Lanka 3-2 with a double by H.D.K. Fernando in the 17th and 24th minutes and C.L. Sumanaratne in the 68th minute. Chinese Macau scored through Wong Weng Po in the 6th minute and Aolu in the 63rd minute. Sri Lanka drew with Hong Kong nil all in the 6th match. The selectors Siraj Mohideen, C.J. Sumanaratna and D.H.K. Fernando should be commended for their good selection. Though Sri Lanka enjoyed a measure of success in Hong Kong, on the other side of the coin is the fact that the Mercantile Hockey Association (M.H.A.) is struggling to conduct it’s “A” division Tournament. Despite the success of the team the game of hockey is not what it used to be. but a concerted effort would revive it and get it back on track to where we were in the 50’s and 60’s according to the ebullient President of the Mercantile Hockey Association (MHA), Dennis de Rosayro. For the past few months Dennis is trying to conduct the “A” division Mercantile Hockey Tournament at the Astro Turf which repeatedly seems to be “not prepared” for the Tournament despite the fact that Derwin Perera, its Director insists that all facilities are being looked into and sprinklers ready for use. Commenting on the non availability of the Astro Turf Gamini Jayasinghe said that for the past six months they have been unable to conduct the Mercantile “A” division because the Astro Turf was not prepared and the Minister of Sports, Johnston Fernando and Derwin Perera, Director General, Sports Ministry, had been informed, but to no avail. Dennis de Rosayro emphasised the need to be disciplined and said that a lack of discipline leads to poor play on the field of sport and a breakdown in the level and standard of the game. At the helm of the Hockey Federation is DIG Jayatissa Herath who overlooks the working of the Federation but it is Dennis de Rosayro who has the expertise and the knowledge to air his views on the game. Despite numerous attempts at trying to contact DIG Herath he was not available for comment. Hockey needs money just as much as cricket or any other game and the present sponsorship for the game is insufficient for many foreign tours and to accommodate foreign teams. How could this malaise be put in order? Firstly the infrastructure is not available to put things in order and conduct a massive Tournament. Funds and grounds are not available and it is sad that of the affiliated bodies only the Mercantile Hockey Association seems to be functioning with any vim or vigour. Its annual “sevens” is of significance in keeping the game alive and the friendship experienced at this Tournament is significant in that it is the only Tournament in hockey that gets around twenty five teams together for one day at one venue. Sponsorship packages from Unilevers and Singers are insufficient to conduct major Tournaments and only the “sevens” and Nationals seem to attract some sort of following. Dennis de Rosayro two years ago submitted a detailed plan to revamp the game but it fell on deaf ears and nothing has been done about it. He suggested that about twenty to thirty players be identified as potential National players and they be given employment in Colombo and trained on a regular basis. This has not been heeded according to the MHA President and he was very critical of the manner in which the game was being treated. Only a yeoman effort and some concerted interest could bring this game back to the status we held in the past. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
