Elite National Sportspersons eventually get the attention they truly deserve!
View(s):A session for all National Sports Associations (NSA) summoned by the Ministry of Sports (MOS) recently, portends to raise the bar as never before and once again mirrors the fresh thinking of the Minister of Sports, no mean sportsman himself. More importantly, he understands only too well the abject lot of our sportsmen and sportswomen and thus the call for action under the auspices of the National Sports Council (NSC) and its offspring, the High Performance Unit (HPU) is timely!
The Minister and his action group is focusing clearly on medals and honours for the country but in that process they are addressing the crying needs of our very best athletes. A HPU spokesman articulated in bold terms the economic reality of national sports. He stated that Sports is allocated a National Budget of Rs.08 B, most of it, not effectively spent. He estimated a requirement of Rs.02 B for the HPU project, having adroitly done the numbers and forecasting that TOP20 corporates can meet the bill. Having rightly pointed out that corporates in Sri Lanka had not done their part so far, it is hoped that the Minister will lead the charge and call upon these top-tier organisations to support the cause of National Sports.
Just a few months ago, the NOC unveiled the Crysbro Next Champ programme that had come forward to support national athletes. Now, the MOS in tandem with the NOC, is going one better and taking it to another level. The HPU spokesman, a knowledgeable athlete of yesteryear and a top administrator, a man of proven business acumen, bluntly stated that without money, we can well forget grandiose plans. He elaborated how athletes go to international competitions extremely under-prepared and inevitably perform well below expectations. He went on to suggest that even an athletes family needs to be taken care of, so that such encumbrances are not placed on the athlete and he or she can focus on the challenge at hand. One certainly had the impression that the concept had been well considered and minutely worked over!
So, now for the action. All NSAs have been requested to submit names and biodata of their top athletes to the MOS – HPU who will evaluate each case thoroughly and collaborate with the NSA, to engage in a development plan targeting the Asian and Commonwealth Games in 2022, as well as the next Olympic Games in 2024, among other international events. Once these athletes are selected, individual budgets could be allocated and identified sportsmen and sportswomen committed to a cohesive plan that would be monitored on a regular monthly basis. No short cuts here. Managers must be appointed and held accountable to the masterplan. Other key support staff such as coaches, fitness consultants and sports medicine experts must be signed into the assignments with total responsibility. Reviews going up to the NSC must be put in place. The Minister must emphasize that the NSC must ensure results. International performance standards are publicly known and the endeavours of the HPU and its charges can be benchmarked at an early stage. So much so, only those likely to compete effectively against today’s crop of world champs must leave our shores!
As NSC chief Mahela Jayawardene knows more than most what's best
Yes, at the heart of all this is the athlete. Many administrators miss the point. It behoves the Minister and his officials to introduce a scheme where national athletes in all disciplines must be paid a monthly stipend. Any athlete who has arrived on that stage cannot be neglected or disowned. They must be protected and nurtured by the NSA and the MOS. While there are obligations on their part, a well-structured National Sports Compensation Plan (NSCP) must be put in place; even ensconced in the New Sports Act that is being talked about. No more must we treat our sportsmen and sportswomen like beggars. The sacrifice and effort they make on behalf of our motherland, must be amply rewarded.
The NSC must make this their primary goal. Any NSA who does not have this goal within their high-brow strategic plan, must be deemed to have failed. The NSCP must necessarily include a superannuation scheme that ensures long term well-being. Visibly, only cricket has surmounted this national affliction. It is time other sports are compelled by decree to address this compelling need. We have a top quality NSC team who must be equal to the task. With Mahela Jayawardene at the helm that is a fair challenge. He knows more than most that the run-chase does not begin in the last few overs! That time has come.