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by Lal Gunesekera

Isn't TTASL Secretary accountable in money matters?

The standard of Table Tennis in Sri Lanka and its administration seems to have hit rock bottom in the last decade or even more. What are the reasons and who is responsible for this sad state of affairs?

Gone are the days when open ranked tournaments were staged in towns like Badulla, Bandarawela, Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy and Galle, various teams from other countries were invited for 'Test' matches, dual contests,quadrangular and pentangular tournaments were held with Indian State sides competing, countries like India, Pakistan, England, Russia, China, Japan, Nepal and Bangladesh used to play against Sri Lanka in our own country.

Sri Lanka also used to tour neighbouring countries (specially India) and special training programmes were arranged to train our paddlers (both at senior and junior level) in China for one year.

Even coaches gained by this programme. Our standards were pretty high and Lankan teams beat teams from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Cambodia, Vietnam etc. Even at Individual level, players from China, Japan, Russia, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore were often beaten by our players.

Persons in the calibre of A. Vaithialingam, N. M. Udeshi, Nesaratnam, M. Balaji, R. Rustomjee, M. L. D. Caspersz, Gopalakrishnan, N. E. Thangaraja Charlie Daniel M. D. Chandrapala, Kulasingham, Pesi Pestonjee and Colonel Kamal Fernando held high office inthe TTASL. There were some fine paddlers in the calibre of N. H. Perera, Jothipala Samaraweera, Angelo Santiago, Deepak Naraindas, Ashok Melvani, Ainesley Gomes, Nimo Ramchand, Charlie Daniel, Nimal Lucas, S. R. Rodrigo, Dick Schoorman, Buddy and Barney Reid, Chris Gunaratne, Fide Hussain, Anto Fernandopulle, Srini Lucas, Belle Weerakoon, Swarna Pieris, Sharmali Dias, Tamara Hewage and Vajira Premaratne to name a few. Where are players of this calibre now?

Then came the deterioration in the 1990s with unsuitable and unqualified persons been elected to held office through "paper clubs" and the game of "musical chairs" started capitalising on certain clauses in the Sports Law. One such person is the present Secretary of the TTASL, Chandana Perera, whose favourite clubs rule the roost. Few Central Council members attend meetings, National Savings Bank withdrew from the sponsorship deal,

A seven-member team was invited for the World Team Championships last year (2004) in Qatar with 10 tickets issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, but how many players represented Sri Lanka? Rs. 220,000 was collected from each player to tour China also last year (2004), but no accounts were submitted regarding the expenses.

Monies for various events were handled by Chandana Perera himself without prior approval from the Central Council. Draws are altered to suit his offspring and the TT Hall is only opened when the national coach needs it for his private classes. The national coach was appointed with the most qualified applicant been overlooked.

When new clubs etc seek affiliation it's not even considered for reasons well known and the Secretary of TTASL takes decisions on his own without prior approval from Central Council, Club sides that support the Secretary are taken on tour in the guise of national sides. Persons who hold office in the TTASL have not even won a novices title. Former national champions are kept out of the administration.

Chandana Perera, the Secretary is even accused of not even maintaining an inventory of tsunami assistance stocks of the TTASL with no records being submitted up to date. He is alleged to have sabotaged the Old Sokians Championships recently.

He is alleged to have used his "catchers" who have not even played the game at novices level to coach school children. He took a team of local players to Germany to play club matches and stated that they were the national team. He himself went as a former national player and a 'A' Grade coach whereas he has not even won a novices title and is only a 'D' Grade coach.

Then, who is Anura Lal? He says he is a coach and "fixes" draws to suit his students. He is alleged to have manufactured TT tables with the ITTF logo with Nittaku brand too for the local market. ITTF approval was not obtained and if this was brought to the notice of ITTF, he (Anura Lal) would have been fined heavily. There was a protest and the Ministry informed. What happened? They took off the ITTF logo and the brand name and continued selling these tables.

Both Chandana Perera and Anura Lal are also alleged to take mostly school children to India (20 to 30) for "training" for two weeks with the players having to play a big sum for their accommodation etc. They get these players to bring equipment back to the country to be sold.

I hear that the latest episode involving Chandana Perera is about him sending two players to Sweden for training. A Swedish coach was here to train coaches and after entertaining this Swede at a resort down south, two of Anura Lal's students were sent to Sweden without the approval of the selectors.

Guess who went as coach? yes, it was Anura Lal.

This is the type of parasite who is holding office in the TTASL. He takes all the decisions in a dictatorial manner. This is the reason why former national champions are not given an opportunity to hold office in the TTASL and they do not want to get involved as long as Chandana Perera and his "catchers" are in the TTASL.

Highest ever contract

The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Jeevan Kumaratunga, is supposed to have said that he was proud to be associated with a sports controlling body like Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) who signed the highest ever contract during his tenure.

He made this remark in Kurunegala at a ceremony held to re-develop the Welagedera Stadium. Well Mr Minister, this contract with Taj TV was signed during the elected SLC administration of Mohan de Silva, and you thought it fit to dissolve SLC citing financial mismanagement.

Pillar to post

Former St. Benedict's and Colts cricketer, Kumar Ramanathan, who migrated to Australia several years back, returned to his motherland a couple of months back to take up an appointment with SLC. He was to be put in charge of the provincial coaches and even terms and conditions for his contract were discussed.

What has happened now ? He has been pushed from pillar to post, and it looks as if his appointment has been put "on hold".

Who takes the responsibility ?

Who was responsible for inserting an advertisement in a morning daily calling for applications for the post of Sri Lanka's Under-19 cricket coach?

The previous Under-19 coach, Sumithra Warnakulasuriya, had resigned and it was to fill this vacancy that SLC called for applicants.

But what happened? SLC got Warnakulasuriya to remain up to the Junior World Cup in February next year (2006). He even went to India with our juniors.

Why on earth did SLC call for applications if they wanted Warnakulasuriya to continue?

Who cares!

Who cares if one is employed in the mercantile sector? You have to play on week days. This seems to be the strange attitude of the SLC's Tournament Committee (TC).

At a recent meeting of the TC, they wanted the three-day tournament be played on weekdays as Sri Lanka are to host the Junior World Cup in February, followed by the Provincial Tournament. They have even fixed December 21, 22 and 23 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday).

Then again in February, the TC, wants matches to be played on February 5, 6 and 7 (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday) and again on February 9 10 and 11 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday).

Does SLC and its TC think that the mercantile sector will grant leave for their employees to play cricket on weekdays and at a stretch too?

No money

SLC had a meeting recently with the Secretaries of District Associations about starting the Division III tournament.

The District Associations are given a certain allocation every year by SLC, and when questioned about it, the Chairman of the TC, Basil Perera, is alleged to have commented that finances are not his business.

Could I ask whose business it is then? He must see that monies are doled out to conduct tournaments in time. How can any person conduct a tournament without the necessary finances?

Viewers thunderstruck !

Viewers of the new TV channel, Derana, are in a quadrary. Except for those in a certain areas of the Western Province (mostly Colombo District), viewers in the rest of the country are unable to watch the current Test cricket series between India and Sri Lanka now on across the Plak straits. It's beamed also to Kandy.

Are there no cricket enthusiasts outside Colombo and Kandy?

Construction - what stage?

What stage has the National Olympic Committee (NOC), of Sri Lanka reached in the construction work of their head quarter's near the old Race Course?

Of the Rs. 40 million requested, the NOC, received a sum of Rs. 15 million from the Treasury after they (the NOC) made an appeal for funds through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which its former Secretary, S. Ranugge, approved.

Is the Treasury going to release the balance (Rs. 25 million) ? I suggest they make a visit to the "construction site" to see the progress of work made.

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