National Youth Sports Festival 2020 cancelled
The much awaited 32nd National Youth Sports Festival (NYSF) of 2020 has been cancelled for the previous year, as the organisers, the National Youth Services Council (NYSC) intends to draw plans to organise the edition for 2021. The first phase of the 32nd NYSF was held through district stages earlier last year, but with the outbreak of COVID-19, the NYSC decided to hold back the final stage until recent, before finally deciding to cancel.
“When the pandemic caused a standstill to all activities, including sports, all district level competitions and qualifiers of the first phase were already complete. We had to conduct the provincial stage and the festival in conclusion,” Thushara Jayasinghe, the Chairman and Director General of NYSC , said.
The NYSC even had initiated the team sports with the Beach Volleyball Tournament, which was held in September in Heiyanthuduwa, indicating that the NYSF was still intact for 2020. But the organisers had breaks time-to-time, due to health and movement restrictions and curfews that caused logistic issues.
“I personally am not satisfied with the way sports events of the NYSF were conducted in 2020. Continuing the way it was, would only cost NYSC but without the expected quality. As a result, we decided to plan a more improved and well planned NYSF with increased prize money for the winners,” Jayasinghe revealed.
With the new changes, the NYSC intends to move the athletic events of the NYSF to a facility where synthetic tracks are available. Jayasinghe stated that the move is to provide the athletes from the rural areas with opportunities of competing at the highest level and with international standards, which could benefit them in the long run. Athletic events are conducted in two categories, the Under-20 and Over-20 and postponing the events of 2020 would cause some budding athletes who are crossing the age categories. But the organisers are determined of finalising all finer points before making the final call for the NYSF of 2021.
“I felt really bad at the awards ceremony of the previous edition of NYSF in 2019. They were presented with trophies and certificates and meagre cash awards, where some even received little amounts. This is not encouraging for athletes who commit themselves throughout the year with dedication. We are planning to make the minimum cash award as Rs. 10,000, and this would further boost their confidence,” Jayasinghe explained.
The NYSF is considered second only to the National Sports Festival. Both sports events are conducted under state support and sponsorship and are two of the most important sporting events to be held annually in Sri Lanka. The NYSF is an event for the membership of over 10,000 of the NYSC spread across the island.