Seven-year plan to re-Vitalise sports:
SL Cricket to undergo drastic change - Sports Minister
By Uditha KUMARASINGHE
Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said drastic decisions have
to be taken to develop the country’s sports sector. As initial step,
appropriate officials have been appointed to existing positions. The
Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said his intention was
to bring every sport to village level and produce new sportsmen.
The Minister said if Sri Lanka wants to win the 2015 World Cup, he
had to take strict decisions regarding the Sri Lankan Cricket Team. When
these decisions are taken, there will be repercussions. But these
decisions have to be taken for the sake of Sri Lanka cricket. He said
Sri Lanka is going to bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Kuala
Lampur on May 11. The Sports Ministry has formulated a seven-year plan
for the Commonwealth Games.
Q: What are your plans to develop the sports sector in the coming
years?
A: When I assumed duties of this Ministry, it was only playing a
supervisory role. All key officials such as Secretary, Additional
Secretary and Director Sports were in acting capacities or in
supervisory roles. Therefore I had to transform the Ministry into one
that functions properly. In order to fulfil this task, I had to appoint
appropriate officials to suitable positions. I appointed a new
Secretary, Additional Secretary and Director General. Now we are in the
process of bringing capable officials into relevant positions.
When I assumed duties of this Ministry, I faced a few challenges. One
was the World Cup. I had to prepare three venues to play World Cup
matches and select the best team. We did our level best and completed
the three venues in Hambantota, Pallekele and Keththarama on time. We
came to the finals, but unfortunately we lost the World Cup. We did our
level best to win the World Cup. Even the ICC has given a very good
recommendation on preparations for the World Cup. Compared to India and
Bangladesh, we have been recognised as a country which handled venues in
a proper manner and extended hospitality. We are in the number one slot
as far as World Cup preparations go.
Earlier a few Ministries such as Education, Higher Education and
Youth Affairs conducted sports activities on their own. On the directive
of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, our ministry is handling sports for all
three ministries and we are going to take some major decisions to
develop sports. At present all four Ministers are working together.
There are 320000 children to sit for the Year Five Scholarship
Examination per year. We have planned to do a medical test for all these
children and identify what sport is suitable for them. We have already
discussed this with the Sports Medical Association and they have agreed
to carry out these tests. We are going to introduce this test from this
year. This would help parents to identify the relevant sports skills in
the child.
We are also exploring the possibility of suspending the competitive
sports in schools for children below 13 years. At present small children
who are between the ages of 8 or 9 years have been put into various
competitive sports by coaches. As a result, the true potential of the
child is lost. Normally sports skills of a child can be identified after
15 years. Earlier there were no competitive sports for school children
and only friendly matches were played. There are about 2800 Physical
Training Instructors (PTI) attached to the Education Ministry. Nearly 80
percent are not been engaged in any sports and are teaching other
subjects. We have requested the Education Minister, Bandula Gunawardena
to assign these 2800 PTI officers to teach sports.
However, parents are of the view that sports will not be beneficial
to children. Following a meeting we had with the Higher Education
Minister S.B. Dissanayake, we requested that priority should be given to
even five international record holders when students are selected to
universities. For an example, if an Olympic medallist is short of a mark
to enter university, his or her medal should be taken into consideration
to grant university admission. Parents will then realise the advantage
of sending children for sports.
Q: Apart from cricket, can Sri Lanka aspire to have an
internationally team in any other sport such as football and rugby?
A: Of course. We have a very good standard in the rugby sevens.
Earlier the problem in rugby was that club level rugby was doing well,
but at national level there was a decline. Because clubs get some money.
When a player is signed on a contract with a club, he is paid by the
club. We do not pay for the national team. We have found a sponsor for
the national team. With the sponsorship, we will sign a contract with
the Sri Lankan rugby team and give them some money.
For the first time in Sri Lanka, it was President Mahinda Rajapaksa
who said in his budget speech that sports should be turned into
country’s economic power. This is what developed countries have done
today. Sports has become an economic power in developed countries like
the US, UK, Germany and Japan. We are formulating a marketing plan while
a sponsor will be created for each sport. I have already categorised 52
sports federations into A,B and C level. The federations come under the
A category can go for medals while the federations in the B category can
reach to the level of medals. The federations that are in the C category
have still to develop.
My intention is to find sponsors and provide infrastructure with
National Pools to A level federations by guiding them to get gold
medals. Earlier a national pool was called one month before that
international event. For the first time, we have decided to select the
National Pool during the year. At present the Sri Lankan Athletes Pool
is functioning 365 days. We also pay for athletes who compete in Olympic
and Asian level games to encourage them.
Q: There are allegations that Sri Lankan VIPs were shabbily treated
at the World Cup Finals in Mumbai. What happened?
A: There was a problem at the World Cup finals. But we can’t put the
blame on the Indian Government. At the last moment some Ministers wanted
to go for the World Cup finals. Earlier we did not know that we would
come into the finals. Then we had to charter a flight. We informed the
Cricket Board that some Ministers were coming and to issue them with
tickets. But they said there were no tickets. Ministers then had to sit
with the crowd. I informed the embassy to provide some assistance. But
they couldn’t do anything. All the Ministers had to be in the queue for
tickets and sit in normal places. I will write to the ICC about this.
Q: Allegations are being levelled that your directive to players in
the IPL tournament to come to Sri Lanka by May 05 is related to this
incident. Any comments?
A: No. I categorically deny it. That was a protocol issue. This is an
issue about cricket. Following a request made by the Cricket Board, I
took this decision for the sake of Sri Lankan cricket. Therefore these
are two completely different issues.
Q: Was there any political interference in the cricket team selection
and in the final itself? Is that why the Captain, Vice Captain and
Selectors resigned?
A: There was no political interference regarding the selection of the
cricket team. If there was political interference, Sanath Jayasuriya
would have been the Captain of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team which played
at the last World Cup matches. At present he is not even in the team. I
think this is ample evidence that there was no political interference in
the selection of the team.
Q: Do you have full confidence in the new cricket selectors?
A: Of course. They are good people who have been appointed as
selectors and I spoke to them as well. I have confidence in the new
cricket selectors.
Q: You had told the media that few tough but extremely important
decisions will have to be taken in the near future for the betterment of
Sri Lankan cricket. Your comments?
A: When I was going through all the past World Cup series, what I
realised was that the selectors and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board have
not been able to take their own decisions. Some cricketers had taken
their own decisions by interfering with the Cricket Board. We have to
take some bold decisions to prevent such situations in the future. We
should clearly define the role of players, selectors, the Interim
Committee and the Minister. We should also maintain discipline within
the cricket team. We came to the World Cup finals thrice. We can’t have
the same situation in 2015 as well. If we want to win the World Cup in
2015, we have to take some stern decisions. We have to bring some young
players into the team and we should have a good Captain as well. When we
take these kind of decisions, there will be repercussions. But we have
to take these decisions for the sake of Sri Lanka cricket.
Q: Do you think the new Selectors headed by Duleep Mendis would
ensure a new beginning to cricket specifically focusing on the 2015
World Cup?
A: Definitely. It would pave the way for a fresh beginning for
cricket.
Q: What are your plans to stop politicization of all sports bodies?
A: I don’t like when a Minister or politician is elected as the
chairman of a federation. There are some politicians like Minister Dilan
Perera who are doing well for these federations. Minister Perera has
done a lot for the development of volleyball. Meanwhile, there are some
politicians elected to sports bodies who are not doing anything at all.
But the blame lies with the federations. Because they are the people who
go behind Ministers and request them to become chairmen of these
federations. Therefore the federations make the biggest mistake by
appointing politicians.
Q: You have received a lot of praise for the re-instatement of IRB
status for Sri Lankan Rugby. How did you achieve this?
A: There are two teams in Rugby. I am going to have this for every
sport. I will try my level best to do this. I have already done this for
rugby. For example, if I can bring Arjuna Ranatunga, Thilanga
Sumathipala and Jayantha Dharmadasa together, we can do a lot to promote
cricket with their contribution. But they are in different camps at
present. Rugby also is faced with the same situation.
The biggest problem is that players have also been divided. When one
team is selected, the other players are not playing. We can’t select the
best team only from one side. I brought both parties together and
ultimately they came to a settlement. As a result, rugby is doing very
well.
Q: What are your plans to develop sports in the rural areas,
including the North and the East?
A: Arrangements have been made to set up provincial sports complexes
in nine provinces within the next seven years. In addition, a second
level grounds will be established in 25 districts. Another 324 grounds
in 324 AGA divisions will also be developed. the Ministry has already
identified the grounds in these AGA divisions that will be developed.
The Ministry will provide required facilities to develop these grounds.
We are also going to form 324 sports clubs in these AGA divisions. At
present only a limited number of sports clubs are doing some sports like
rugby and hockey. Only football and cricket are played in every village
at present. Therefore my intention is to bring every sport to village in
level. Because most of our athletes and cricketers have been produced by
villages. New athletes and sportsmen can only be produced if the sport
is brought to village level.
At present the Ministry has launched a talent identification program
in the Northern and Eastern provinces. We are getting very talented
youth from these two provinces. We have already done this talent
identification program in Jaffna and Mannar. We are going to conduct
this program in Kilinochchi shortly. Nearly 1,500 and 1,200 youth
participated in these two talent identification programs conducted in
Jaffna and Mannar.
Nearly 5,000 youth selected from these talent identification programs
will be recruited to the “Kreeda Shakthi program” implemented by the
Ministry. They will be paid Rs.1,000 as monthly allowance for their
meals while coaches will be used to improve their sporting talents. The
lack of coaches is the biggest problem. We do not have second level of
coaches after the retirement of key coaches like Dervin Perera and Sunil
Gunawardene who produced so many internationally renowned athletes.
There is an urgent requirement to produce coaches at district level.
After one year, elections are conducted in Sports Associations. As a
result, these sports associations have not been able to do anything for
the sport. Because members of the Sport Associations Work six months for
the association while the other six months are spent to campaign for the
election. According to the National Sports Policy to be formulated by
the Ministry, the duration of these Sports Associations will be extended
to two years. If they are performing well, I am going to extend it to
four years. So they have enough time to do something tangible for the
sport. The National Sports Policy will also make provisions by
preventing national level athletes to contest these sports federation
elections. When such athletes are elected, they favour their students.
Q: How do you plan to stop corruption in all sports bodies?
A: I am going to have a separate audit system through the Ministry
for this purpose. We have decided to include this into the new National
Sports Policy as well.
Then the Ministry would able to monitor Sports Associations and check
their accounts. Everybody has to send their accounts to the Ministry
before elections are held. This is not done at present. There is no
supervisory system to check accounts of these Sports Associations. I
have instructed the new director General to check accounts before
elections are held. The Ministry is very strict about corruption
charges.
Q: Is there any investigation into the World cup ticket scam where
the public could not buy enough tickets at stipulated prices?
A: I have already issued a letter to the Secretary by asking him to
give me a report regarding this I have also got a lot of complaints
about it.
Q: How are the plans proceeding for the Hambantota 2018 Commonwealth
Games?
A: We have planned to bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. We have to
put the bid on May 11 in Kuala Lumpur.
After that a team will come here on June to inspect the venues and
they will announce the decision by November. As soon as we win the bid,
we are ready for the games. We won’t wait until 2018. Our intention is
to finish the work by 2016. I have also prepared a seven-year sports
plan. When I took over we had a lot of problems in some sports like
athletics.
We participated in the last Asian Games, we were not able to win even
a single medal. I have to take some drastic decisions regarding sports.
As the initial step, I appointed appropriate officials to the correct
positions and prepared a seven-year plan for the Commonwealth. |