The Reward and the Racket that is Badminton!
Niluka (L) appears to have considerable influence in NOC to be allowed the services of his brother Dinuka (R) during Olympics as SLB president Rohan de Silva, as seen in the picture, is sandwitched confused over what has taken place - File pic
Badminton is an elegant sport, played essentially by the broad middle class with perhaps an upwardly mobile segment that want to look a little better than the common or garden Perera’s! That’s why you see badminton courts in all the major watering holes in Colombo where middle aged public and private sector executives gather to give the shuttlecock a good whack in order to justify a beer at the pub! And that is where the Karunaratne clan outshines most of those who after the second tot claim that tennis is too slow a sport to give them a sweat! Fortunately, there is a growing player-base from the provinces and Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) it must be said, is investing in drawing on the abounding talent and channeling them in to the national pools that are taking shape, COVID notwithstanding!
Let us not for a moment distort the champion-like quality of the Karunaratne family of shuttlers; they have brought fame and for almost 20 years dominated the sport like no other! Niluka, the elder sibling and standard bearer, has held the national crown for 17 years and no new kid on the block, looks set to wobble the pedestal. And with that unchallenged position as the nation’s No.1 badminton star, Niluka has justifiably or otherwise, made his claim for unfettered privileges that the SLB does not grant to other less endowed players!
Otherwise, why would Niluka make a play to represent Sri Lanka badminton at the forthcoming Olympics? He and all who matter at SLB know that it is unlikely that he will go beyond the first round. So, the passage some argue, is ceremonial or has the chiefs at NOC would describe it, an Olympic Games Tripartite Commission Invitation Place. How this award is made, is known only to the big guns of IOC, no doubt ably backed by the local affiliate and endorsed by SLB. Ordinary folk call it a wild card. Ministry of Sports (MoS) officials and its think-tank the NSC, know only too well that Niluka did not meet the Olympic qualification, and those who begrudge this opportunity, suggest that those who qualify by performance must be separated from those who have merely received invitations.
Niluka then pulled the wool over the SLB too, by demanding that he be allowed to play under a ‘Yonex’ sponsorship though he had signed a COC with SLB that is committed to the Li Ning brand. SLB has graciously let go and made the exception in order to please public sentiment and let Niluka go to the games in the spirit he must! But it would have been benevolent, many badminton followers argue, if the MoS, NOC and SLB picked a young upcoming player to take that place and enjoy the experience of a major international event with the future in mind. Niluka also appears to have considerable influence in NOC to be allowed the services of his brother Dinuka, who will accompany him as coach cum sparing partner. They are entitled to USD 10,000 plus USD 5,000 as player and coach, even if they may not have much to do at the office on the day. SLB President, Rohan de Silva, it is reported, was invited by NOC to join the local delegation, but he has graciously stepped aside, citing personal reasons and time constraints.
Having won the Nationals 2020, Niluka declared that he will retire from the sport. That position has changed apparently and he now appears to have set his sights on the Commonwealth and Asian Games. It will be interesting to see how SLB deals with these maneuvers, when it sits to pick the squads for these competitions. The patriarch of the family, no mean badminton player himself, has a keen interest in SLB affairs and wields great clout with the association. While it cannot be dismissed that the Karunaratne family has devoted themselves to the sport for many decades, SLB must also realise that time may have come to promote a more inclusive culture and give the youngsters who are knocking on the door, a chance to display their own mantra. For now, it looks as if love all is the call!