Dialog to power and boost netball in Sri Lanka

Richard Dwight

NETBALL: The Sports loving Dialog Telekom, the sponsors of quite a few sports in the country, broke fresh ground to go further afield, when it took meaningful steps to espouse and champion the cause of Netball in Sri Lanka.

Tangible expression towards this end, was made on Wednesday afternoon at a media briefing held at the Hilton Hotel - when the General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Dialog Telekom, Nushad Perera, presented the signed 'Strategic Partnership Agreement with the Netball Federation' and, the sponsorship package to the Minister of Sports and Public Recreation, Gamini Lokuge, who in turn handed it over to the President of the Netball Federation, Sherene Kumaranatunge.

It was a pledge and commitment by Dialog Telekom to power Netball in Sri Lanka and boost the game to international standards. Minister Lokuge, addressing those present, said that he was pleased to find Dialog coming forward to sponsor Netball, a sport that women take to easily and, apart from the urban areas, has become popular with the girls in the villages and rural areas too.

He was appreciative of Dialog's assistance for the furtherance of Volleyball and Soccer and, the Company's efforts now being taken to help netball and to so ensure, that it is well sustained at the District and Provincial levels. This Lokuge felt was a step in the right direction which will enable Sri Lanka to make headway in Netball in the Asian Region.

Nushad Perera observed that our National Netball teams were 3 times Asian Champions and twice won the Asian Youth Championship title - to be ranked among the top 20 in the world and amongst the top 15 in the Commonwealth Games. That which our players need Perera felt, was the support that will empower them to raise their game to the next level and get the training and exposure they deserve.

Whilst Dialog was proud to uplift a sport that is played by so many talented Sri Lankan sportswomen, Perera stressed that it is equally important that in accord with the funds invested, that there be sustained commitment and enthusiasm displayed by those responsible in order that netball keeps forging ahead.

It was gathered from the President of the Asian Netball Association, Tamara Dharmakirti Herath, that the partnership agreement with Dialog Telekom and the envisaged sponsorship thereof, will find the Company lending support for the all island open club tournament and the Junior National Tournament.

It will also concern itself in the development of the sport in the districts. Where talented players from schools and clubs from the respective districts will be draw to form an ongoing pool which will act as a feeder to the National Pool.

There is every reason to believe that things will be brighter for Netball with Dialog's support. Mainly because the company has built up a fine reputation in successfully sponsoring school cricket, Rugby, Volleyball, Football and Rowing not failing to mention that it has sponsored national contingents to international events including the Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games, Asian Athletic Championships and SAF Games.