Lalith Perera quits in disgust

TABLE TENNIS: Veteran table tennis player Lalith Perera has decided to call quits after a career of over three decades.

Perera, an employee of Lake House, announced his retirement from competitive TT, completely disgusted with the manner he was treated by the Veterans TT Association and his inability to raise funds for several tournaments overseas.

A dejected Lalith Perera, said he came on top at all trials with an unbeaten record to pick the teams for the Veteran's Open Invitation Championship in China, Asian Veteran's Championship in Malaysia and 12th World Veteran's Championship in Japan.

"I could not find the finances. However those who failed to make the required qualifications, made the trips.

This was unreasonable. Although one's standard is not good, a person who can find the money made the trips abroad to represent the country.

The VTTA did not make any attempt to secure the finances for me" said Lalith Perera, who excelled in both attack and defence. Perera was not even selected for the SAF Games in Colombo in 1991 as well as the Asian Games in China.

An old Anandian, Perera, won many 'A' division All-Island Senior TT titles for his school in the 1970s and won his first major title in 1976.

L.G.