Sam disappointed Karunaratne not getting enough push before big event

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

BADMINTON: Former Sri Lanka National Badminton Champion and a former President of The SLBA Sam Chandrasena, while complimenting Niluka Karunaratne for qualifying to play in the Men's Single event at this year's London Olympics, was also somewhat disappointed of the Sri Lanka's number one shuttler not having enough stiff opposition or challengers for a better progress on his way to the big event.

W. Sam Chandrasena who is the Director of Sports and Physical Education at The Lyceum International School said in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer Sports that he believed that Niluka Karunaratne is a good and a dedicated player and the best player in the country at the moment. Sam said that although Karunaratne had all the support he lacked the challenge from any local player which is a decisive factor to progress better.

Although Karunaratne has all the support, he sadly miss the contest of a tough opposition or a challenge. Karunaratne who has been the national champion for many years, may well have driven fear into his opponents as most of them are lacking in confidence to combat the country's number one and the reigning champion.

Sam first represented the country in 1957 and has become the national champion twice, runner-up on three occasions and the doubles and mixed doubles champion more than ten times.

It was very interesting speaking with Sam Chandradena who knows the game of badminton inside out.

Excerpts of the interview...

Q: Do you think that Sri Lanka's badminton is heading towards the right direction?

A: Well, the right direction is not done in the proper direction. It is true, and we are happy that Niluka Karunaratne has managed to qualify for the London Olympics. There are other players too who would have qualified, but unfortunately due to weak management of the authorities, those players could not make it.

Q: During your era did any player managed to represent the country at an Olympics?

A: During my time badminton was not included in the Olympics. Badminton came into the Olympics somewhere in 1984. I was the President of the SLBA at that time. During that period Niroshan Wijekoon qualified for that year's Olympics. Like Karunaratne, Wijekoon was also the undisputed national champion for a long time (1983 to 1990) and really dominated. Due to his dominance the others would have lost confidence. There were no one proper to motivate the youngsters. But I had the opportunity in 1992 when I was the president we had to play a Thomas Cup competition in Singapore where Niroshan Wijekoon did not participate. The other players were Duminda Jayakody, Thushara Edirisinghe, Udaya Weerakoon and four others. They were brightened, thinking as to how could they cope with their opponents. I spoke to them for two days and got their mental attitude completely changed.

We had to meet Singapore. The Singapore number one player had met Niroshan previously on five occasions and Niroshan had won twice. For this particular match also the Singaporean boy was placed at number one and Duminda Jayakody had to meet him in the first singles. I told Duminda that he is young and he (Sam) seas you as a better player than Niroshan Wijekoon. But I see you on the court as if you are not giving your best. I told him to just forget about everything. You are young and strong and have the capability and the only thing he must have the will power. You must enter the court saying that you are beating this guy.

Duminda entered the court and in the first game he was so nervous and lost it very badly as he was hitting everything out. Those days instructions can be given only when two sets are over. Now at the end of every 11 points instructions can be given by the coach. I kept on shouting to keep on hitting in to the court, and once one starts hitting into the court and once you start getting five or six shots, then you go for the other one. But he lost the first game very badly. I told him that the second game you can win. Somehow I don't know he completely changed when he started playing the second and he won a close game. In the third game he just beat him under 5. The same player just had the will to win.

Then the second singles guy was Thushara Edirisinghe was confident saying that "I am going to win' and he won. We were leading 2-0 and needed to win only one more match to win the competition. But unfortunately Udaya Weerakoon playing the third singles lost.

In the doubles game, the Singaporeans were better and we lost 3-2. I was very pleased with the boys' performance.

Q: Who were your contemporary players?

A: They were Dr. A.R.L. Wijesekera, Dr. N. Rasalingam, Dr. Sriskandarajah, Gerry Chadrasena (No relative), L.R. Ariyananda, P. Sivalingam, R. Nadarajah. The last two players Sivalingam and Nadarajah were a bit senior to me, but we played together. They were like our mentors during that time. We learnt by watching them play. We didn't have any coaches at that time. We watch them play and developed our skills.

I became the National Singles Champion in 1959 and 1961 and long after that only we managed to get a coach in 1966. We had to play Pakistan in the Thomas Cup competition which was held in the Army Camp in Panagoda. I have been the singles champ twice and in the other categories nine times.

Q: Who were the ladies who excelled in badminton at that time?

A: Nanda Nagasingha, the wife of Dr. A.R.L. Wijesekra and Lalitha Nagasinghe - the sister of Nanda, they were the first National Champions at that time. Lucky Alagoda was junior to me.

Then there were Cynthia Fernando, Rita Bartholomeusz, Namal de Silva, who won the Ladies National Championship at the age of 13 years. Hariette Senaratne also won the National Championship when she was quite young.

Q: Which school did you attend and how did you fare in school as a shuttler?

A: I studied at St. Peter's College, Bambalapitiya. When I was at school, St. Peter's did not play badminton and I am the one who restarted the game. We had a very good teacher Jackie VanTwest who was involved in the game and he saw me playing and asked me whether I could help him to reintroduce badminton at the school. We started because St. Peter's had three or four good players.

As we were from Wellawatte and there was a Cosmopolitan Sports Club where I was a member. At the same time my contemporaries of St. Peter's were playing badminton and basketball as well. Because of that, Jackie VanTwest wanted us to start badminton and basketball at the Bambalapitiya school and that's how in 1953 we restarted badminton and started playing basketball also for the first time in 1953.

Q: What should be done to uplift the standard of badminton as it does not require huge sums of money like in some other games. In most places badminton is played for leisure why can't we convert that into a more professional level?

A: We cannot say that it is a cheap game. Badminton is not a cheap game. It was a cheap game long time ago because most of the people played badminton for leisure. But now there are lot of competitions.

There are many schoolchildren who are participating. And there is lot of talent available and that talent has to be harnessed judiciously. During our time we harnessed the youngsters. At one stage when we were not holding office, they harnessed one or two players and kept the other talented players out from progressing.

So, unfortunately some players who could have represented the country and could have been even better than the present champion were not given an opportunity.

They were left in the lurch for various reasons and that was a disaster for the future of badminton. By just grooming one or two players for a long time and neglecting the others means that one does not have any thoughts for the future.

The day those few groomed players give up we won't have a second or third string for the future.

The authorities should see the talent that is available and get them into the main stream or proper channels and give them the necessary assistance.

They must be honest when they do that. There cannot be any favouritism. If there are any prospective talented players they could be easily spotted out through the eyes of the senior and experience players. They should be spotted irrespective of any differences and given the necessary guidance and encouragement with all the facilities.

Q: Is that sort of thing happening at the moment?

A: Unfortunately these days it doesn't happen, there is lot of favouritism. Parents get involved in the Association purely to see their children get selected in whatever the event they are participating, while the better players are not being given the proper opportunity. The authorities somehow want to keep the talented ones out to accommodate their favourites.

The parents who are involved in the Association administration rule the roost. So, this is what's happening to our badminton today. I wonder whether the authorities or even the Minister is aware of it and could realise the gravity of it. There is a schools badminton team going to Australia where the father of a player going as the manager or the Chef-de-Mission where two of his children are team members. This is all wrong. Even when it comes to selecting of office-bearers the parents are the ones who manipulate and control to suit their whims and fancies.

Q: What are Niluka Karunaratne's chances at the London Olympics?

A: He is a good player, but the only thing is I am not trying to demotivate him, but I will be more satisfied if he can win one or two rounds.

There are about a minimum of 64 players and there should be about six rounds to come to the final. If he can win the first and second rounds that will be a great achievement. If he can go beyond that, it is superlative.