Athletics: National Sports Festival to be held in Jaffna this year

Ten new sports are to be included for the 42nd National Sports Festival to be held on September 3 to 11 in Jaffna and Colombo. 

The new sports are: Chess, Carrom, Rugby 7s, Boxing (Women), Cycling (Standard), Wushu, Handball, Trialathan, Beach Kabadi and Tug-O’-War. 

Now the amount included in the National Sports Festival has increased to 33. 

There was talk that the National Sports Festival is to be held in Jaffna but for many years it was not held in the Northern part of the country due to the 30-year-old civil war. 

There are other problems such as the shortage of grounds, hotel accommodation. 

As such only ten sports will be held in Jaffna this year. 

The sports that have been identified to be held in Jaffna have been identified as Football and Beach Volleyball at present. 

As time goes by the other sports will be named. 

The first event in the 42nd National Sports Festival took place yesterday in Nuwara Eliya which was the Cross Country event. 

The next events to be held in June are the Marathon and Cycling in Kurunegala. 

The Sports Ministry has allocated Rs. 8 billion towards the Sports Festival and they are of the opinion that this amount too will not suffice as extra expenditure is expected as the games are to be held in Jaffna as well. 

The opening ceremony and the closing ceremony will take place in Jaffna but the dates have not been finalized as they have to be ascertained from Maithripala Sirisena first. 

But the event will definitely take place from September 3 to 11 this year. 

Both the opening and closing ceremonies have been planned to be held in Jaffna. 

Earlier to the Sports Festival was planned to be held in Jaffna and this year too there is a doubt whether the events will take place in Jaffna, the main setback being the lack of grounds and other facilities.