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Sunday, 24 April 2011

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Seven-year plan to re-Vitalise sports:

SL Cricket to undergo drastic change - Sports Minister

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.

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