R. Premadasa, a great sports promoter

TODAY is the 12th death anniversary of late President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was a great lover of sports. It was from the playing fields of Price Park and Darley Road, he walked to the Temple Trees and the President's House.

Late Ranasinghe Premadasa like late J.R. Jayawardene was a great lover of sports, J.R. represented his school Royal College at Cricket, Rugger, Boxing, Football and Athletics. Premadasa paid much attention to football at St. Joseph's College and later gave the game a big fillip.

Although Premadasa did not gain national recognition in football he did much to boost the sport and other games in the country.

Premadasa was instrumental in the renovation and modernizing the Sugathadasa Indoor and Outdoor Stadiums. He built the Khettarama International Cricket Stadium and Pedris Park.

Sports in the country now feel his absence in every aspect. Every sportsmen especially those in the football fraternity in Sri Lanka, be young or old as well as thousands of games fans and fanatics will mourn, the loss of this great man.

Premadasa was born and bred among the humble and it was natural that he took upto football, called the poor man's game in Sri Lanka. As a young footballer, the late Premadasa learnt the skills of the sport at Price Park. He was a genuine and keen student of the game.

In an epoch-making exhibition football match between the country's Parliamentarians and a team drawn from the Municipal Council of Colombo played before a capacity crowd at the Sugathadasa Stadium on April 2, 1983, the late President depicted flashes of his football prowess by scoring the solitary goal for his team with deft placement of the ball which found the net beating the advancing goal-keeper.

Off the field, the monthly grant of Rs. 60,000 given by him for the promotion of football in Sri Lanka still stands as a priceless contribution by any individual in this country for the common man's sport.

Although he did not play serious cricket, he knew that Sri Lanka could become a top cricket playing nation and he built the floodlit cricket stadium at Khettarama. After his death it was named as R. Premadasa Stadium.

Premadasa introduced a rugger tournament for the schools and clubs with the backing of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union. This rugby tournament was one of the most looked forward to of the season and was known as the R. Premadasa Trophy Rugger Tournament. After his death the tournament was dropped from the local rugby calendar.

The name of the late Ranasinghe Premadasa will go down in the annals of our history not only as a nation builder, but also as a great sports promoter.

- Hafiz Marikar - MMC Kandy