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NSAs and begging bowls

Officials of the National Sports Associations (NSAs) have often made it a habit of making regular visits to the Ministry of Sports with their begging bowls. They have enough and more reasons to tell when they seek funds for various things.

But they should realise that the Sports Ministry is not just a donor agency to throw away funds. True that the Sports Ministry is there to assist the NSAs and also provide financial assistance to sports teams when it really matters.

That does not mean that the officials at NSAs should take things for granted and think that the Sports Ministry should be ready to oblige each time they request for funds.

Some sports officials and administrators have made it a habit of showing their empty coffers all the time and think that is a qualification to seek funds from the Sports Ministry.

But those officials should be ashamed of going to the Sports Ministry with a begging bowl and even make public statements that they are bankrupt, running their association on 'borrowed funds'. What work has the finance and sponsorship committees of those associations done over the past years?

We have experienced sports politics at its highest with the past couple of months and it would be further heated up until the end of this month, the deadline to conduct annual election of office bearers and holding AGMs of the NSAs.

This is the time that our sports officials and administrators make huge promises to come into power. As we have pointed out before, they talk big on promoting sports and a better future for sportsmen and women. The way they are talking, many get an impression that they have a vision and a plan to generate funds for their NSAs.

But that reputation and image lasts until the elections are over. On assuming office, they cut a sorry figure. It is the duty of the NSAs to plan their calendar year, estimate funds needed for their projects, tournaments and overseas tours out accordingly.

They must look for ideal ways of marketing their respective sports and attracting sponsorships. True enough those associations could seek assistance from the Sports Ministry if they fall short of their targets of raising funds though sponsorships.

But under any circumstances, the NSAs should not become total dependents of the Sports Ministry.

The way some sports officials cry for funds, stating they run on debt, one wonders whether those are sports associations or refugee camps. Especially the so-called affluent sports bodies and sports engaged mostly by children of affordable parents should not seek valuable public funds.

At a time the country is trying to recover from its worst ever-natural disaster, we could not expect treasury to allocate a greater volume of funds to the Ministry of Sports.

However, in granting Sports Ministry funds, special consideration should be given to sports with greater national representation. Sports like athletics, volleyball and soccer are played each and every corner of the country, mostly by poor or middleclass people. This is where special emphasis should be given.

In going back to the topic of generating funds by the NSAs, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) have been impressive. True enough cricket has a huge market in the subcontinent.

Hence, we do not expect all NSAs to fare like SLC. But considering the way the interim councils for cricket struggled to find funds, the marketing strategies of SLC have been commendable.

The FFSL too has managed their affairs efficiently, without being a burden to national funds. Among the other sports bodies with a commendable record of generating their own funds regularly is Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA).

Though tennis has not been a great spectator sport like in France, England or Australia, the SLTA has made a laudable effort to meet their own finances and even hosts many international tournaments to the satisfaction of the ITF.

It is the duty of the newly elected sports officials to make their early plans, see ways of marketing their sports. They should also remember the proper conduct of a NSA with a vision and clean records of their officials too are important factors to attract sponsors and grants.

Sports officials, its your duty to find finances! If the Sports Ministry is to give 'pocket money' for all your needs, there is no point in you holding office.

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