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| Sunday, 27 June 2004 |
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National feeling lost with athletes' lust for money - Sports Minister by Srian Obeyesekere The need for a foreign physiotherapist was being looked into by the Sports Ministry who had already got in touch with Sri Lanka Cricket authorities from which it expected to take a cue in the wake of Australian knowhow obtained for the national cricket team, Sports Minister, Jeevan Kumaranatunga told the 'Sunday Observer'. The Minister, who said so in answer to a question as to this requirement, elaborated that what his ministry was looking at was whether a common sports medicine unit in collaboration with Sri Lanka cricket could be set up or not. "Either way we expect to obtain the services of a foreign physio," the Minister said at last Tuesday's meeting with the media at the BMICH where he and his Deputy Minister, Sripathi Suriyaarachchi along with ministry officials sought views to better sports in the country. Recently, Susanthika Jayasinghe, the country's star athlete lamented that she had been neglected for the want of a foreign physiotherapist, a factor which was highlighted in last week's issue of the 'Sunday Observer'. At a largely attended confab, the Sports Minister raised concern as to excess expenditure by sports bodies which had resulted in a financial crisis, excess foreign tours which were quite negative, the need to revise the existing sports act, creating a viable working machinery in the wake of so many complaints as to mismanagement and negligence, and still more importantly the need to have a computerised 'feed in' data base so as to evaluate first hand the standards of athletes. And of equal concern was that modern day athletes are motivated by financial gains unlike the good old days when their lot went through the mill. Here, the Minister felt the media could educate athletes against the lust for money where he felt the national feeling was taking a back seat. "Not having an instant 'feed in' on athletes has been a glaring shortcoming which left the ministry in the dark in recognising latent talent. Therefore, I expect to introduce this data system where deserving athletes will be recognised on merit alone," said the Minister who also saw as a big flaw of so many years that the country still did not have a durable second phase after the likes of Susanthika Jayasinghe. As to the financial drain, he said,"As much as Rs. 200 million has been spent on sports activities this year. We intend cutting down on unnecessary foreign tours and also as to how much the State can allocate and how much finances could be obtained through sponsorships." The Minister and Deputy Minister noted that hitherto step-motherly treatment had detrimentally taken away the interest of several sports bodies which had lamented that their views had not been sought at that level. They also took cognisance of views by mediamen as to the need to clear the bureaucratic red herrings serving their own ends which had been a negative factor. A general consensus was that the services of expertise of sportsmen and women now in retirement could be sought in expediting what Minister Kumaranatunga said would be a re-structured development programme at the grass roots level to get maximum results. "We expect to get results in two years time, and for a start we are laying emphasis on athletics, but will include other sports as well," he said stressing on new oxygen to the ambit like in the developed countries. |
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