Sepak Takraw: India expected to dominate 2nd South Asian Championships

The long awaited 2nd South Asian Sepak Takraw Championship is all set to unfold on January 14 and 15 at the Indoor Sports Complex of St. Joseph’s College in Colombo. 

Skillful players from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh are bound to sway in the two day event. 

Hosts Sri Lanka competing for supremacy of a game that would display extraordinary , explosive, acrobatic, and dynamic airborne strikes with the foot and equally eye-catching blocks of the kicks with the foot. 

At times the fan would be made to think that they are watching Martial Arts being exhibited with a woven synthetic ball by the players. 

It will be a treat for the fans to watch such an extravagant game in Sri Lanka for the first time although the Amateur Sepak Takraw Association of Sri Lanka have had Sepak Takraw Nationals on 13 occasions in Sri Lanka but sans the magic and the skills of the players of the South Asian countries. 

Assessing the past performances and current ranking of countries by the international Sepak Takraw Federation India is among the first ten in the World and they are expected to win both Men and Women categories of the two Events of "Regu" and “Double-Event". 

However according to the President of the Amateur Sepak Takraw Association of Sri Lanka and Senior Vice-President of the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation Nizam Hajireen, Sri lanka along with Nepal are going to stage stiff opposition to wrench the initiative from India, and hopefully fight for the Silver Medal if unable to overcome India’s stranglehold of the game. 

At present the Association is faced with an unexpected financial impediment due to the delay of receiving the assured financial grant from the Sports Ministry with only a few days left for the championship to commence, and the Association is feverishly trying to raise funds through loans to meet urgent financial commitments to pay service – providers who requires payment for services prior to commencement of the Championship. 

All countries have confirmed their participation with Nepal being the first country expected to arrive on the 11, followed by India and Pakistan on the 12 and Bangladesh on the 13. 

The teams with VVIP, Officials, technical officials, and players and other dignitaries total around 160 personnel who have to be provided hotel accommodation, food, transport, etc; as per set International Sports Guidelines. 

It indeed will be a herculean task for the Amateur Sepak Takraw Association to bear the unexpected financial burden they have to shoulder to stage an International Sports Event of this magnitude which would certainly project the image of the country among the South Asian Nations.

They had relied upon the assured financial grant of the Sports Ministry and had planned to raise the balance funds as per their budget which had been presented to the Sports Ministry in June 2016 along with letter seeking approval for the proposals to stage the Championship was tabled at the 2nd South Asian Sepak Takraw Federaration AGM in Hyderabad, India, on July 29 2016. 

The President of the Association and its entire Office-Bearers are making a fervent Appeal to all sports lovers, Mercantile Institutions, Establishment to assist by way of offering Sponsorship fully or partly to meet the heavy financial commitments that have to be completed prior to the Championship. Detailed information in this regard can be obtained from the Secretary General Saman Priyankara, and Co-ordinating Secretary Charrendra De Silva, and Nilam Hallaldeen chairman sponsorship committee, at Tel.Nos: 0773740556, 0773206204, and 0772457257 , respectively.