|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 8 September 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
SLBA celebrates Golden Jubilee with Ariyadasa Silva Memorial Open by LAL GUNESEKERA The Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA) celebrating its golden jubilee this year (2002), are making every endeavour to invite some foreign shuttlers to play in the Ariyadasa Silva Memorial Open Championship scheduled for February next year (2003). The President of the SLBA, Riza Jumar, told the Sunday Observer that the International Badminton Federation (IBF) and the Asian Badminton Confederation (ABC) have requested the SLBA to conduct an Asian Satellite tourney also in February in Colombo, and with overseas players playing in this tournament, the SLBA are toying with the idea of calling it the Ariyadasa Silva Memorial Open so that these foreign shuttlers may compete. Jumar said that lower ranked players from the Asian region including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Singapore and even Iran are to be invited for the tournament in February where the total prize money involved will be US Dollars 5,000. However, the SLBA may increase the prize money to make it more attractive if they (the SLBA) are successful in roping in more sponsors. He further said that the SLBA have requested the Nationalised Services BA to get down foreign players for its Open Championship to be staged from November 5 to 9 with the likely venue being the S. Thomas' College Indoor Stadium, Mount Lavinia. The SLBA will assist the NSBA in this venture. The Central Province Open Championship is scheduled to be worked off at the St. Anthony's College Indoor Stadium in Katugastota from October 3 to 6. The Golden Jubilee National Championship of the SLBA is scheduled to be staged end November with the preliminary rounds to be worked off at the SLBA Indoor Stadium or S. Thomas' College Indoor Stadium and the finals only at the Royal College Sports Complex. Jumar said that the SLBA are planning to conduct the historic Nationals on a grand scale with all former national champions being felicitated. The Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Johnston Fernando, are to be invited for the finals. The SLBA has set up a special organising committee for this event headed by Jumar. It also includes Ajith Wijeyesinghe, Sumith Guruge, Christo Gonawela, Chumley Hettiaratchi, N. D. de S. Jayasinghe, H. D. C. Jayaratne, Lui Karunaratne and Shawn Shiek. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
