Bringing Wushu home

Wushu, widely known as Kung Fu especially in the western world has more than 3000 years history. It was originated in China and means in Chinese “Martial Arts”. It is the first martial art in the world man created using his scientific knowledge for self defence as well as to attack. Though it has more than 3000 years old history it became a mainstream Sport in the world in year 1987.

Manel being an International Wushu judge and Referee is one of the pioneers who introduced Wushu sport to Sri Lanka. He is the current secretary of the Interim Committee of Wushu Federation of Sri Lanka and also holds the position of the Secretary General of the South Asian Wushu Federation [SAWUF]. He was elected to the post unanimously in year 2005. In 2006 he became the first South Asian to be appointed to the Traditional Wushu Committee of the Wushu Federation of Asia [WFA] during its congress held in Doha in Qatar during the 15th Asian Games. He was made Vice Chairman [Sanshou] of the Technical Committee of the SAWUF in 2003 but resigned from that position to pave the way for another Sri Lankan colleague.

He is also the only International Wushu Judge and Referee in whole South Asia invited to officiate as a Judge and Referee in 3rd World Wushu Championships(in 2001) and in the 6th WWC in Yerevan, Armenia, in 2005 at 8th WWC in Hanoi, Vietnam and in 2007 at 9th WWC in Beijing, (China) and all 3 Sanshou [Combat event of Wushu] World Cups [in 2002 at 1st SWC in Shanghai , in 2004 at 2nd SWC in Guangzhou and in 2006 at 3rd SWC in Xian all in China] by the Technical Committee of International Wushu Federation[IWUF]. Apart from that he has officiated at 2nd Asian Junior Wushu Championship in 2003 in China and also in the 14th Asian Games in Busan Korea in 2002.. He was the Assistant Chief Referee of the 2nd South Asian Wushu Championship held in New Delhi, India in 2003 and Vice Chairman of the Jury of Appeal at the 10th South Asian Games held in Colombo in 2006..In 2003 he was invited by the Wushu Association of India to be the Head Judge of 12th Indian National Wushu Championships.

Recently Dharmakeerthie was honoured by the South Asian Wushu Federation. He was awarded the title of the “most valuable Wushu Sanshou International Judge and Referee in South Asia” at a ceremony held in Meerut, New Delhi in India.

Question: You have contributed a lot to the development of relatively a new sport of Wushu in Sri Lanka and in South Asia. How did you get into Wushu?

Answer: Well… Wushu is not new to Asia, especially East Asia and South East Asia but yes it was new to Sri Lanka and South Asia. When I started in early 80s Wushu was taught here with totally wrong techniques as there were no coaches who had studied it in China .They blindly followed Bruce Lee films. But then Cultural Secretary of Chinese Embassy in Colombo introduced me to Dr.Yan Jin Lin who was in Sri Lanka on an official mission. He was a Grade A Wushu coach in China. It was in 1987. With his assistance we went to Huangshi Wushu School in Hubei in China .That was in 1990 and we learned the sport from well known Chinese Coach Madam Xia Mei Xia. That is how the correct version of Wushu came to Sri Lanka. After our return we formed the Wushu Federation of Sri Lanka in 1993. I was the Founder Secretary General of WFSL. .Then I became the President of WFSL in 1997/98. During my presidency the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs officially recognized the WFSL.

Q: Wushu is now run by an interim committee. Why an Interim Committee?

A: Wushu IC came into effect in 2000 because there was one individual who controlled the sport single handedly for the benefit of his private club. At that time there were no selection trials, no ministry approval for international meets etc. Only his kith and kin participated in International meets and Sri Lanka were mere tourists at such tournaments. Then the Sports Ministry dissolved the WFSL and established the Interim Committee under the presidentship of T. B. Ekanayake.

There onwards we began to improve. We became the South Asian Champions in 2003. Our boys won at Asian Junior level and at Traditional World Championship level. The jewel of the crown is that we won 4 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze medals becoming joint champions at the 10th South Asian Games. Thus we delivered the four gold medals that we promised prior to the SAF games.

We formed a National Wushu Judges Council and also a National Wushu Coaches council. We brought 04 reputed Wushu Professors from Beijing and Shanghai Sports Universities to Sri Lanka and got our coaches trained by them. Wushu needs special equipment to practice and perform. Taolu, the routine event of Wushu need a 14m x 8m carpet to hold tournaments which we did not have .Sanshou also need a 8m X 8m platform. Our Interim Committee negotiated with IWUF and got everything free of charge. Those alone are worth more than rupees five million. We also distributed lot of Wushu instruments to players and clubs worth millions free of charge. So now sport Wushu is on the correct path.

Q: It seems that Wushu authorities have placed their trust in you?

A: I have progressed in this field as a result of being genuinely interested in the progress of the sport. I got through my International Diploma and License in 2001 in Macau and in 2004 in Beijing under the Prof. Zhu Ruiqi ,the Dean of the Wushu Faculty of Beijing Sports University. While learning I worked to develop the sport here and in South Asia. We formed the South Asian Federation. Got 6 South Asian Countries as its members and now I am discussing with Maldivian Olympic Committee to start Wushu there. Due to my efforts two IWUF Presidents [They are also the Vice Ministers of Sports in China] visited Sri Lanka on three occasions and donated millions of rupees worth of equipment.

Q: What is your most satisfying moment in Wushu?

A: Undoubtedly when Sri Lankan Wushuites won four gold medals at the last SAF games held in Sri Lanka.