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| Sunday, 23 February 2003 |
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Sri Lanka will definitely participate at SAF Games - NOC chief by LESLIE FERNANDO Sri Lanka will field 110 competitors for the 9th South Asian Federation Games (SAF Games) to be held from March 29 to April 7 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Thirty officials are also included in the contingent. The full squad will be 140 according to Milton Amerasinghe, Director General Ministry of Sports. Amerasinghe told the 'Sunday Observer' that the trip to Pakistan will cost the Ministry of Sports Rupees 14 million. He further said that Rupees 9 million has been set apart separately for the training pools in 15 disciplines and for materials and equipment. This was decided at a meeting of the Sri Lanka SAF Games Committee with the Sports Minister Johnston Fernando. Over 300 are in training in separate 'pools' but the Sports Minister has instructed the National Selection Committee to select players who could win medals at the games, said Amerasinghe. Sri Lanka will field competitors in all 15 disciplines Athletics, Tennis, Hockey, Volleyball, Squash, Kabaddi, Swimming, Boxing, Rifle shooting, Badminton, Weight lifting, Table tennis, Wrestling, Soccer and Taekwondo. The National Selection Committee has already selected players for 14 disciplines. The athletic team will be selected before February 28 as the National Olympic Committee has to send the entries by name before March 2 to the Organising Committee SAF Games in Pakistan. The NOC has already sent entries by number to the organisers. Sri Lanka will definitely participate at the SAF Games said Hemasiri Fernando, President National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka. "All arrangements have been finalised from our end" he said. Fernando said that Sri Lanka has made a commitment, to stage the 2005 Games in Colombo. If Sri Lanka misses the Games next month, Pakistan is likely to boycott the 2005 SAF Games in Colombo. |
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