Modern sports complexes in Hambantota in time for Commonwealth Games 2018

SPORTS COMPLEXES: For Sri Lankan national sports to obtain International sporting awards, it is extremely necessary to identify sportsmen and sportswomen from the rural areas and give them the proper training, support and guidance, stated Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

With this in mind, Ministry of Sports has taken steps to construct sports complexes with all the modern facilities in the 9 provinces covering the entire island.

Parallel to the 2018 Commonwealth Games that is expected to be held in Hambantota, sports complexes with complete modern facilities will be constructed under the seven year National Sports Policy.

Each of these Sports Complexes will include a main sporting stadium with a 400 metre track, consisting of 9 lanes as well as cricket stadium (160x142) and an additional 200 m warm up track. Further, the Sports Ministry states that this sports complex will include all sporting facilities such as an indoor stadium, an aquatic complex, other stadiums, medical facilities, conference halls, cafeteria etc.

The Ministry of Sports states that in addition to the 9 provincial sports complexes, 25 sports complexes will be constructed at the district level. A further 324 stadiums will be constructed at the divisional secretariat level.

The Ministry hopes to take modern sporting technology which is utilized in developed countries to the rural areas in an effort to develop sports and to encourage the sportsmen and sportswomen in the areas. By doing this, the Ministry hopes to improve sports at the school, youth club and sporting club level as well as to motivate those who are already engaged in it.

The Ministry aims to complete these constructions within the coming 3 years. Harsha B. Abeykoon - the Media Secretary has said that it is expected to provide library as well as internet facilities in these sports complexes that are to come up at the provincial, district and divisional secretariat levels, in addition to the sporting facilities. The idea is to provide all the facilities in one place.

The Ministry of Sports plans on commencing the construction of these multi-faceted sports complexes at the provincial level from this year, starting from Badulla, Anuradhapura and Kilinochchi.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Sports would like to emphasise that it will not be granting permission to build any sports complexes which are not of national sports’ interest. The aim of this programme is to have a systematic sports programme in the entire island, which is in tune with the National Sports Policy.