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| Thursday, 30 September 2004 |
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Put athletics before self The Sports Ministry last week revoked its own decision of cancelling the registration of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka (AASL). As a result, the decision taken by the Sports Minister on August 3 to cancel the registration of AASL is lifted and the same executive committee could function. How appropriate those decisions are is a matter to be determined by the sports loving public in the country. Whatever, it is our athletics which has suffered due to the administrative blunders in the past. But the incumbent President Sunil Jayaweera has made a good decision of going for fresh election to the AASL at a SGM to be held on November 6. He says if the Sports Minister does not have confidence in him and his ex-co, he could field his own men for the election. Jayaweera has already declared that he would not seek re-election and would step down from the top seat. On the other hand, the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Jeewan Kumaratunga stated that he does not have any favourites and its up to the member clubs and associations of the AASL to elect people whom they like. Hence, a 'non political battle' is to commence for the AASL elections. Jayaweera and his team would support a former National Olympic Committee President for the AASL Presidency. Several members of Jayaweera's present ex-co are to contest under the ex-NOC chief's leadership. But the race for the Presidency is not going to be that easy as there are several others from different camps doing the rounds. Among those who have been confirmed as candidates at the AASL elections are a veteran Sri Lanka coach, who is holding a top seat at the Sports Ministry. He would contest for Presidency with the support of a fellow vice President and a former Sri Lankan sprint queen. Sri Lanka athletics has been badly hit by petty club differences and politics over the past years. It has been our track and field which has suffered as a result of individual differences. We cannot afford to do that any more at a time most of our top Sri Lanka athletes are going to retire within the next couple of years. We do not have a proper feeder pool and very soon, our athletics would be in the wilderness without a single top class athlete for an international meet. With a little over a month to go for the AASL elections, all those who genuinely love the sport should seriously think the pathetic situation in our track and field today. Sri Lanka plans to host the next South Asian Games next year and our goal should be to better the record of 15 gold medals we won in athletics when Sri Lanka hosted the Games way back in 1991. But considering the pathetic situation, it would be hard for us to think of going for such record. It would be best if we could have a common candidate for the Presidency of the AASL so that others too could be a part of the team as there are six posts of vice Presidents according to the AASL constitution. Of course, some will have to sacrifice in the name of the sport they love, if they truly do so. The top seat of the AASL should be held by a man with a proven track record and experience in the past. He should also be able to make sure the association gets adequate funds by way of sponsorship because the sport cannot survive without finances. We have many athletic officials who are experts in their respective areas such as coaching, administration, technical, ceremonies, competition, fund raising etc. What is needed for all those masters to unite to resurrect our track and field. They must realise that if they continue to carry their petty differences, there won't be a future for our athletics. Hence, if they genuinely love the sport, they should be ready to work for a common goal and objective. One hopes Sri Lanka athletics will emerge victorious at the forthcoming AASL elections, not individuals. |
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