University Games November 2 to 11

The 9th Sri Lanka University Games (SLUG) will be held in the University of Kelaniya from November 2 to 11.

The Inter-University Sports Festival was started in the mid 1950s. This sports festival has a history which dates back to more than five decades and in the year of 1980 it took a new turn according to an idea of the Director of Physical Education of the University of Peradeniya, Lesley Handunge.

Using his experience, in 1980, he organised the 1st SLUG in the University of Peradeniya encompassing the whole university system of Sri Lanka. Since then SLUG is successfully held every three years. It was not held in 1989 due to security reasons and so far eight SLUG have been held continuously.

Among different types of conventional sports festivals held in Sri Lanka, the SLUG supports the community in many ways. The support given by the universities as research institutions to the development of a diverse society should be appreciated.

So far there had been eight SLUG and the last one was held in the University of Colombo in 2004. In 2007, it will be held with the participation of 13 universities.

In the 1st SLUG there were only 12 events and now it has increased into 19 events by the year 2007.

They include Badminton, Basketball, Carom, Chess, Cricket, Elle, Football, Hockey, Netball, Road Race, Rugger, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball, Weightlifting and Wrestling.

The logo of the SLUG is in the shape of the letter “U”. It was selected from a competition. The letter “U” was selected, because the Kelani River flows in the shape of the letter “U” when it passes Kelaniya. And the letter “U” symbolizes the whole university system. It is green, to represent the greenish lawns of the grounds and the 13 balls represent the 13 universities who take part in the SLUG.

Oriole is the mascot of this year’s sports festival. It was in the Olympic Games in 1968, in Mexico that a pet was used as a mascot and it was used to control anti-Olympic ideas stirred up by student revolts and to spread good will among people.

It is for the first time that a mascot is being used in a SLUG. Oriole was chosen as the mascot because it is familiar to all Sri Lankans and also because of the close affinity it has with the area of Kelaniya in the Selalihini Sandeshaya.

Oriole is an eye catching bird because of its shining body and golden neck and legs. It was selected as the mascot of the year because the oriole is the ideal pet which represents the ethics and principles of the university games.

A special web site for the University Games was created by the Department of Physical Education of the University of Kelaniya.

The 9th Sri Lanka University Games is not just another sports festival and it will be held in the Olympic tradition. The University of Peradeniya was the champions of the 1st SLUG in 1980.

The University of Colombo became the champions in the SLUG held from 1983-1998 and the University of Peradeniya became the champions again in 2001 and 2004.

Commenting on the importance of sports, J. F. Williams says that sports makes a man physically complete and emotionally refreshed while developing proper timing and leadership qualities essential for the social and cultural enhancement.

And also sports is in direct connection with the development of a country and adequate participation of its citizens in sports will help a country proceed in the path of development. Sports has become the golden key to enhance the friendship and unity in a multi-cultural society and university sports festival contributes immensely in that regard.

In a few days time, the juvenile energy will be displayed at the 9th Sri Lanka University Games in the University of Kelaniya. The duty of a university is not to produce intellectuals whose knowledge is limited to books.

The University of Kelaniya has organised a national level sports festival to link that intelligence with juvenile energy and we are eagerly waiting to see who will take the trophy home this year.