Commonwealth Games a stepping stone

Sri Lanka is planning to send a larger contingent for next month's Commonwealth Games in Australia. The initial plan was to send 50 members, but the strength of the final contingent is going to be around 70, representing nine disciplines.

The Commonwealth Games would provide an ideal opportunity to our sportsmen and women before two other key events scheduled for this year - the 10th South Asian Games in Sri Lanka and the 15th Asian Games in Doha. These two Asian events have a greater significance to us than the Commonwealth Games. Hence, we must make use of the opportunity in Australia to gear up for the mega events in Colombo and Doha.

Though Sri Lanka will take part in nine disciplines at the Commonwealth Games, our preparations are inadequate. Most national sports associations (NSAs) are only interested in getting their team included in the Sri Lankan contingent. But the same cannot be said about the importance they give for team preparations.

Most NSAs are keen to have their competitors in for a mega event like Commonwealth Games, Olympics or Asian Games not just because they would like to see the progress of their competitors, but due to the joy rides that would come for their officials. The appointment of officials even before the finalisation of the competitor lists is a clear indication of such moves. Most of the NSA officials are only interested in increasing the number of countries that they have toured, not the number of medals that we have won.

As the President of the National Olympic Committee, Hemasiri Fernando has pointed out before, the NOC is not a factory that produces medals. The NOC is there to show the way to ours sportsmen and women and their respective NSAs the road to the international sports arena. Linking our competitors to global sports events is the business of the NOC, which also makes an immense contribution through the Olympic Solidarity program.

But NSAs and the Sports Ministry have a greater responsibility in promoting and developing sports, while looking in to training and competition needs of our sportsmen and women. True that a significant portion of IOC funds channelled here through the NOC are invested on development. But the NSAs should not take things for granted.

The officials of the NSAs should know that the NOC is not a donor agency and that the Sports Ministry is not bound to fund their each and every foreign tour. Before releasing funds for international sports events abroad, the Sports Ministry should find out whether that particular NSA has made enough preparations for that tour.

On the other hand, there should be strict guidelines on the composition of officials - the number of coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, doctors and team officials. Our sports officials have their own set of designations when it comes to a foreign tour - team delegate, observer, support staff, team assistant, attach,, lady chaperon, technical official etc.

Hence, the Sports Ministry should strictly adhere to the ratio between the competitors and officials. Of course there are special instances where we need to take an extra coach or two depending on the needs of the competitors, but certainly not the assistant managers, delegates, observers or team assistants.

It's pity that our celebrated Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe could not qualify to run at the Commonwealth Games. On the other hand, it is creditable for veteran Damayanthi Darsha to make it to the team, after fully recovering from a leg injury and going back to her pet event the women's 200m.

Congratulations to the Manager of the Sri Lanka athletic eam to Australia, Sunil Gunawardena for making a comeback to full time athletics after being out of it for some time. He has a great responsibility and as a reputed Sri Lankan athlete of yesteryear, we hope he would offer his services to everybody in the team alike.

The AASL has finally done justice by sacking H.W. Nimalasiri from the post of athletic manager to the Commonwealth Games and bringing in Gunawardena.

Nimalasiri has been found guilty of depriving three Sri Lankan youngsters of taking part at last year's IAAF Youth World Championship due to his inefficient way of handling ticketing arrangements.

The new AASL President Dervin Perera has proved a point and his honest vision for removing Nimalasiri from the post of treasurer and banning him from contesting for the post next year, based on the findings of a special committee.

But the talk in track circles is that the culprits have teamed up with a few senior officials with a rotten history behind them, to oust Perera from the top seat. Being a dedicated official and a veteran coach, Dervin Perera should not get scared of the 'sports mafia' as he still has a strong team to back him at next month's AGM of the AASL.