The outgoing Director General of the Institute of Sports Medicine (ISM) Professor Arjuna de Silva said he is pleased with the progress he was able to spearhead after serving a tenure of two years at office. Professor de Silva will stand out as an official who was able to revolutionize the local sports medicine field by his vast experience, qualifications and above all his skills and long term vision. Two years ago when Professor de Silva took over the ISM he clearly spelt out that the needs and importance of adhering to the latest technology and trends other developed nations possess.

Prof. Arjuna: “I never had personal agendas and I had a clear objective, to convert the ISM a ‘Centre of Excellence’.

“I never had personal agendas and I had a clear objective, to convert the ISM a ‘Centre of Excellence’. I sought two years and not a minute further and I can proudly walk out fulfilling all my promises. There is a saying that that one must leave when there is demand to stay, not when people pelt stone on you,” Professor de Silva told reporters.

While being contended with the progress he was able to make, Professor de Silva also stressed the importance of adopting adequate steps in other areas such nutrition, technical and administrative structures, if Sri Lanka is to make its way forward in the global arena. The Professor said that he has already updated the relevant authorities in this regard as they were beyond his controlling range.
“It’s important to identify the potential sports we can target medals or wins at. If you look at Singapore, they highly focus on badminton and table tennis at Olympic Games and they succeed each time with a medal or two.”

“As far as Sri Lanka is concerned rifle shooting and archery are two medal prospective sports, if we really lay our focus on them. It’s because Sri Lankans have the natural born talent and the genetic inheritance at these two sports disciplines. I’m not ruling out athletics and 7s rugby from this list,” he added.

Latest equipments such as an up-to-date VO2 Max cardio-respiratory fitness testing machine, ones that were needed for the sports physiology unit and basic medical instruments needed for emergency services were added to the list of assets of the ISM during the past two years. In addition he was able to spell out the difference between masseurs and physiotherapists and give them the deserving status.

“And it’s important to have sports psychologists to get assistance in team building. Unlike the past, the coach alone cannot be a one-man army handling all areas such as technical, physical, psychological and analytical. There should be experts designated to these positions at least at national level, like our cricket team.”

“But the most important component of this process is the financial assistance. You can’t expect a sportsperson to eat from a tuck shop, sleep on the cement floor and to go for international medals. A methodical system should be in possession to streamline the progress of the athletes and their development while keeping their minds clear and giving them all the assistant, financially and in other ways,” he stressed.

The outgoing DG who had intentions set up medical units in all of the 25 district sports medical units, at the moment has achieved almost half of his target. His intention is to apply up-to-date technology and give the athletes from the rural areas the opportunity of making use of the best medical facilities.

He also points out that his initial target of separating the Anti Doping Unit as a different entity has been approved from the top level. By January 2014, the Sri Lanka Anti Doping Agency (SLADA) will start functioning as a separate body of ISM.

Professor de Silva, who heads the Medical Faculty in Ragama, said that his workforce at the ISM, including doctors, nurses and other staff members have been duly recruited and the process will continue to expand, with doctors having the option of obtaining a Masters’ Degree in Sports Medicine.

“The position I served at ISM was entitled for a car, fuel and a handsome allowance pay. But I’m already a government servant, being the Director of the Medical Faculty in Ragama. I’ve never made use of my facilities and worked voluntarily for the past two years as I thought it was unethical to get two pays. I thought it’s my duty to impart my knowledge and I can say that I was able to streamline ISM as I intended. I have made my successor’s task more comfortable and if the SLADA needs my help I will always step forward to assist. But I really feel that I belong to the students and patients,” Prof de Silva asserted.