Badminton team management lodges official complaint
Achini Ratnasiri in action - Pic by Sameera Peiris
The management of the Sri Lanka badminton team has lodged an official complaint to the Technical Committee of the 13th South Asian Games Secretariat for making last minute changes to the original tournament draw.
Thilak Jayasiri, the manager of the Sri Lanka badminton team, told the Sunday Times that the sudden changes to the tournament draw caused difficulties to players, who had come with a prepared plan.
“Of course we have to oblige by the final draw and the decisions made by the organising team here, but the way they have done is totally unacceptable. It’s not that we are crying over spilt milk, but our team was treated unjustly by this. We have lodged an official report on this to the technical committee of the SAG,” Jayasiri said.
Sri Lanka won two gold, two silver and three bronze medals in the individual events, and bagged the silver medals in the men’s and women’s Team events earlier on. According to manager Jayasiri’s observations, Sri Lanka had the potential of winning both gold medals in the team events, but the Technical Committee of the Nepal Olympic Committee, who manages the Secretariat of the 13th South Asian Games, have made changes even after the closing day of calling in entries.
“I am made to understand that India has made some last minute changes to their team after looking at our final squad. In any case the SAG Technical Committee cannot change any entries after November 15, unless it is acceptable. This is a serious issue, if it really happened, and we have all the right to demand an explanation. I, as the manager, have officially done that, and now we have to wait for their response,” Jayasiri added.
The Sri Lanka men and women badminton sides, clinched the silver medals in the team events.
The Sri Lanka shuttlers bagged two gold medals and two silver medals on Friday, after an all-Sri Lanka final at an international level competition. Youngsters Thilini Hendehewa and Kavidi Sirimannage outplayed seniors Achini Ratnasiri and Upuli Samanthika in straight sets as Sri Lanka secured a gold and silver in the women’s singles.
Sachin Dias and Buwaneka Goonathilake gave Sri Lanka the second gold medal in the men’s doubles after defeating Indian pair Krishna Prasad and Dhruv Kapila in a close encounter. Dias and Hendehewa, before winning their gold medals, featured in the mixed doubles final against India’s Dhruv Kapila and Meghana Jakkampudi, but had to be content with the silver medal.
Men’s team skipper Dinuka Karunaratne, who lost his battle to India’s Siril Warma in straight sets, secured a bronze medal in the men’s singles while Ratnasiri and Dilmi Dias, who exited from the women’s singles semi-finals, also claimed bronze medals.
The Sri Lanka men and women badminton sides, clinched the silver medals in the team events. The badminton squad will return to Sri Lanka today.