National Sports Fund runs dry, rewards promised still pending
Even months after their victories, Sri Lanka’s Paralympic athletes are still waiting for their prize money promised by the authorities, with the National Sports Fund being declared empty. Among those affected are Paralympic athletes, World Paralympic Athletics Championship participants, wrestler Nethmi Ahinsa Fernando, and their coaches, who are entitled to 25% of the prize money.
Paralympic javelin thrower Samitha Dulan Kodithuwakku, who won silver at the 2024 Paralympics in Tokyo, told the Sunday Times that athletes have not received their payments since the World Games, held from August 28 to September 8. “The DG says we will receive our payments soon, and we remain hopeful,” he said.
Samitha Dulan won a silver medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024
Kodithuwakku, who was also placed second at the World Games, set a new record of 67.03m, surpassing his previous best of 66.05m from last year’s Paralympics. Along with him, shot putt athlete Nuwan Indika and 100m sprinter Palitha Bandara are also still awaiting their payments.
President of the National Paralympic Committee Colonel Deepal Herath said a structured cash-out procedure has been in place since 2020 for Olympic, Paralympic, and international championship winning athletes, following a proposal brought forward by the National Sports Council (NSC) in 2020. The then Minister of Sports, Namal Rajapaksa sought cabinet approval, after which the project became an active compensation process to athletes who win medals at elite international events. Despite this, payments have been delayed, and Col. Herath believes that internal barriers—particularly the influence of Deputy Sports Minister Sugath Thilakaratne—is affecting the process.
Sri Lanka has consistently won medals at the Paralympics since 400m sprinter Pradeep Sanjaya secured the country’s first-ever Paralympic bronze in the T46 category at the 2012 London Games. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics marked a historic achievement with the country’s first gold medal and a bronze. In the 2024 Paris Paralympics, javelin thrower Samitha Dulan won a silver.
The Director General of the Department of Sports Development, Shemal Fernando said that in 2023, the government struggled to compensate winners of the Asian and Paralympic Games. Cabinet approval was later obtained to use funds from the Department of Sports Development to make the payments.
The issue was recently raised in Parliament by former Sports Ministers Namal Rajapaksa and Dayasiri Jayasekara. In response, the current Minister of Sports requested details on the matter—despite having received them earlier—and has now acknowledged that settling these payments is a priority.
The sports fund, which relies on revenue from the National Lotteries Board, remains short on cash, with no allocation in the 2025 budget. The Deputy Sports Minister, Thilakaratne, also an Olympian, is of the view that the compensation granted to Paralympic athletes should be revised as it’s in a different or lower league than other elite events such as Olympics, Commonwealth Games, or World Championships, according to Col. Herath.
Gold medalists at the Olympic and Paralympic Games receive 50 million rupees, while silver and bronze medallists are awarded 30 million and 20 million, respectively. For the Youth Olympics and Asian Games, the prizes are Rs. 5 million for gold, 3.5 million for silver, and 2 million for bronze. Winter Olympic medallists receive Rs. 20 million for gold, 15 million for silver, and 10 million for bronze.
In addition, it is also revealed that the grants approved for athletes of the elite pools, have not been facilitated as assured and are forced to utlise substandard lodgings and meals.