By Namal Pathirage

Hemasiri Fernando

The National Olympic Committee is now facing a tricky situation with Sri Lanka Telecom indicating that they may not sponsor the contingent of 35 scribes to cover the 11th edition of the SAF Games which is scheduled to begin in Bangladesh shortly

This situation has arisen after the SLT employees who were angry with the cut in their annual bonus payments questioned their management as to how they going to bear the expenses of such a magnitude such as sponsoring journalists for the SAF games. SLT is the official sponsor of the SAF Games contingent.Even the head of the Lankan NOC Hemasiri Fernando had told the local journalists that he did not think that SLT would pull out from the sponsorship, but, they should be ready for any eventualities.

Meanwhile in another development the secretary of the NOC had berated a set of journalists who had gone to the Olympic House for a press conference, only for the press liaison officer of the NOC – Buddika Iddamalgoda to intervene and douse the situation.

This year the SAF games full contingent is expected to be around 4oo persons which includes the two sports ministers and their entourages. However it is also reported the ministers would take their final decision on attending the SAF games only after the final outcome of the January 26th Presidential elections.