Sugathadasa Stadium officials seek end to track patchwork
The synthetic track of the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo has experienced a history of challenges concerning its durability, with the projects of track relaying that took place twice during the past decade. A few weeks after the installation of the most recent track by the joint venture Access-CONICA, concerns arose regarding water seepage and unusual tear.
Six years down the line, the urgent need for a complete relaying of the track has become undeniable. Senior officials at the stadium have acknowledged that both national and international level athletes are unable to fully showcase their true potential, due to ongoing issues with the appalling track.
The current status of the track - Pic by Eshan Fernando
A top official of the Sugathadasa Stadium, who wished to remain anonymous said that certain areas of the track are torn and some lifted, causing athletes to trip over when their spikes come into contact with the track.
“This has significantly hindered their performance and obstructed their speed,” said the official.
“What we can do within our limited capacity is, patch up the damaged areas of the track by using available materials and glue them before an event. However, on any given day, it’s impossible to assess the true potential of any athlete, especially considering that we have athletes representing Sri Lanka in international competitions running on this track,” the official explained.
Pointing out that the only alternative available track is the Diyagama Stadium, which comes with its own issues. The official further said that in comparison, the Diyagama track’s location is logistically inconvenient for the athletes and it also lacks accommodation facilities, unlike the Sugathadasa Stadium, which has lodging facilities adjoining.
The official also said that the delay in relaying the track is mainly due to the stadium’s financial constraints.
“We have held discussions with Treasury officials on-site and have presented a budget proposal requesting Rs. 500 million for the relaying of the track as well. The Sports Minister was also made aware of the issue during his visit to the track on November 28, and we are optimistic that the necessary funds to relay the track will be allocated from the 2025 budget,” the official said.
The newly-appointed Sports Minister and his Deputy, Sugath Thilakaratne, who himself was an international athlete and an Olympian, were unavailable for comments on the related matter, when the Sunday Times made several attempts to contact them.