Lanka positive of qualifying after Olympics postponed
The postponement of this summer’s Tokyo Olympics to 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic has come as a blessing in disguise for Sri Lanka who had only one qualifier for the Games which was scheduled to begin on July 24.
“Our athletes had not qualified for anything. At least now they get an opportunity to train and compete in a bid to qualify. That’s a positive sign as I look at it,” said Maxwell de Silva, secretary general of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL).
The newly-built Japan National Stadium, the main venue for the 2020 Olympic Games, is pictured from a highrise viewing area in Tokyo on March 25, 2020, the day after the historic decision to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. - Japan on March 25 started the unprecedented task of reorganising the Tokyo Olympics after the historic decision to postpone the world's biggest sporting event due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that has locked down one third of the planet. - AFP
The participation of Sri Lankan-born Swedish showjumper Mathilda Karlsson was thrown in doubt after the world equestrian body (FEI) withdrew ranking points from two events, virtually disqualifying her after being assured of qualification to the 2020 Games. She is expected to appeal the FEI decision at the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport tribunal.
Ever since the viral outbreak, there was mounting speculation whether the Olympics would go ahead as scheduled though the NOCSL toeing the line of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) claimed that it was “business as usual” before the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared it as a pandemic on March 11.
Japan had been under mounting pressure from athletes and sports organizations to reschedule the Olympics amid the rapid spread of the coronavirus around the world.
Yielding to international pressure particularly after Canada and Australia said they would not be sending athletes to Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach agreed on Tuesday to postpone the Games for about one year.
Since the birth of the modern Olympics in 1896, the Summer Games have never been postponed before, although they were cancelled in 1916, 1940 and 1944 due to war.
The NOCSL had also called for a postponement though their main concern was related to the qualification process.
“From the beginning when we had the video conference, we were one country that maintained that the Olympics has to be postponed because of qualification process. They (IOC) said they will make a decision on that and they will also consider those who have not qualified to give them some additional slots. Our concern was accepted,” said Maxwell de Silva who represented Sri Lanka at the confab IOC had with the NOCs of Asia on March 19.
At the video conference with IOC President Thomas Bach, accompanied by Pere Miró, deputy director of the IOC, and James Macleod, director of Olympic Solidarity and Relations with the NOCs, Maxwell argued that a cushioning effect be implemented for smaller countries like Sri Lanka.
“The present situation has presented many shortfalls for the smaller countries like Sri Lanka who find it a hard grind to qualify for the games without going through the full qualifying system. So, the organisers would have to think of some cushioning system for them,” he said.
NOC Sri Lanka Athletes’ Commission Chairman, Niluka Karunaratne also addressed the issue with regard to qualification events as most of the events have been cancelled due to current COVID-19 issue and requested IOC to address this matter with fair treatment.
The postponement has changed the equation and Sri Lanka stands a better chance of qualifying, according to the leading NOCSL official.
“It is a good thing that happened. I feel this is to our advantage. We should be positive. We can now work out with the Ministry of Sports and sponsors to go ahead with full steam and increase our numbers in participation. And also see how best we can go ahead. The next event this year will be the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China in October provided it will go ahead,” he said.
Sri Lanka were represented by nine athletes at the Rio Games in 2016. Three of them – badminton star Niluka Karunaratne, swimmer Mathew Abeysinghe and judoka Nuwan Dharmawardena – were expected to be picked for Tokyo either through direct qualification or the quota system allocated to countries. Gymnastics and weightlifting are the two sports earmarked by the NOCSL.
“To date, 57 per cent of the athletes are already qualified for the Games. You need to qualify. There is no question about it. The gymnastic girl (Milka Gimhani) who is practicing in Japan will have another nine to 10 months to qualify. She will certainly qualify because her standard will go up. Once everything is normal Chamara will go back to train in Slovenia. Since we have one more year, I am sure our guys can qualify,” said Maxwell de Silva confidently.