“Uncommon” gearing for Commonwealth Games
Unlike other times, the Birmingham CWG 2022 will be ‘scrutinized’ in terms of athletes, as Sri Lanka face a huge crisis - File pic
Over 150 Commonwealth Games-bound
Sri Lankan athletes and officials are facing a major stumbling block after the ‘bankrupt’ Sri Lanka Government decided to finance only athletes who have medal prospects at this year’s Games. Sri Lanka usually sends a planeload of athletes and officials to these quadrennial mega sporting events. At the last edition at Gold Coast in Australia had a Sri Lankan representation of 139.
The XXII Commonwealth Games is scheduled to be held from July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England, and organisers are providing food and accommodation free-of-charge to the participants.
However, given the current economic crisis, Sri Lanka is not in a position to support all participants with airfare and hence have asked some of the selected athletes and their coaches to meet their own costs of air travel if they are still keen to take part.
“Given the current economic crisis in the country, we can only support a few participants and we have decided to offer it to those with medal prospects this year,” said Amal Edirisooriya, Director General of Sports.
“Others can travel if they can find the airfare as all other facilities are provided by the organisers.”
Accordingly, each participant who does not fall in the category of medal prospects needs to spend around Rs. 500,000 which is the cost of the airline ticket.
Sri Lanka won a silver and five bronzes in weightlifting and boxing at the 2018 Games and could have bigger success this time as a number of track-and-field stars are in their prime in addition to lifters and boxers. Among those participating in team sports are the national women’s cricket team, men’s and women’s rugby teams, beach volleyball and 3×3 basketball teams.
“We have no problem with cricket and rugby as they have agreed to bear the costs involved. So we are now in the process of finding sponsors to support the rest of the athletes for the games,” said Suresh Subramaniam, President National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka.
In addition to the team sports, Sri Lanka has also received 52 slots for individual sports.
“We have to send 52 athletes for these available slots. Otherwise we are depriving another member of the Commonwealth Games Federation from doing so. This is the challenge we have at the moment and we are working on getting sponsors,” he explained.
“But in the event we have not got enough funds, we have to make a tough call to drop some of the sports. As a former sportsman, I don’t like it as they have been training hard targeting the event but then what options do we have?”
Sri Lanka Cricket has confirmed its Women’s team for CWG
These decisions were drawn after a lengthy meeting of two hours between the officials of the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, who usually share the total expenditure of the
Sri Lankan contingent to any multi-sport event, including athletes, coaching staff, officials and delegates.
The meeting that took place on Friday evening, had concluded without a proper conclusion on how or what measures would be taken or on limitations and omissions if there are any or some. Both parities will meet again tomorrow for a final round of discussion, in which a proper guideline would be made on the participation and funding for the Birmingham CWG 2022.
Sri Lanka spent lavishly on sending nine athletes and 17 officials for the Tokyo Olympics where players were provided with business class tickets but none of the athletes were able to advance even to the next round.