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| Thursday, 2 December 2004 |
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Lanka targets two Olympic medals at Beijing by Dinesh Weerawansa Sri Lanka has drawn up a comprehensive sports development program, which targets a minimum of two Olympic Games medals in year 2008. Outlining the short, medium and long-term goals of the national sports development drive, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Jeevan Kumaratunga said that they should be able to produce at least two medallists at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. However, the Minister said producing Olympic medallists is not just the sole target of the year 2005 sports development program, which would be implemented at a cost of Rs. 317.96 million. He said the Treasury has already released Rs. 121.46 million. "I have had discussions with Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama, who has agreed to allocate us the balance Rs. 196.05 million needed to complete the successful implementation of the program," Minister Kumaratunga told a news conference at the Sugathadasa Sports Hotel Auditorium last night. Apart from the above budgetary allocations, the Government would also release a sum of Rs. 300 million to support the forthcoming 10th South Asian Games in Colombo next year. He said the Cabinet has already approved the state contributions to host the eight-nation Games. The Sports Minister said they are in the process of drafting a national sports policy. "Our sports development program would be combined with the Sports Ministries of the Provincial councils so that there would be a one nation wide project to elevate sports of our country. There will be one project, one common objective and a national policy," he explained. The Minister also stressed the importance of obtaining the services of the Provincial Education and Sports Ministries to make the new venture a great success. He said 'Kreeda Shakthi' (the port of sport) program has been launched to find future national material and form a good second string pool in respective sports. Over 40 stadia and sports venues all over the island would be redeveloped to give an opportunity to rural sportsmen and women to sharpen their skills. "We identify the prospective youth in the villages under the Kreeda Shakthi project and they would be given comprehensive training. There is enough talent and our aim is to sharpen their skills and expose them into the big league," the Minister explained. He also said hosting of the South Asian Games would give greater opportunity to our sportsmen and women to compete on home soil and under favourable conditions. "The organisation work is going on. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has expressed her willingness to support the Games. It is a blessing and our pleasure to have her guidance and patronage to organise the Games successfully," he added. |
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