The Kandy Coronation on the ‘International Day of the Disabled People’

DR. AJITH C. S. PERERA

It was the first test between Sri Lanka and England. Muttiah Muralitharan was playing in his 116th Test match at the Asgiriya Stadium in his home town Kandy, 29 matches fewer than Shane Warne. The day was Monday 03rd December 2007 and the local time 11.54a.m.

Destiny had denied Muralithran the opportunity for that crucial one wicket in the recently concluded two test tour to Australia and then mysteriously forced him to wait until, of all days December 03rd, through a mixture of unexpected rain on previous third day afternoon and stubborn English batting resistance.

It was the 88th over of the England innings, 33rd of Murali in England’s first innings and his 10th on 4th morning.

The magical fourth ball doosra twirled, straightened and fizzed into a well settled Paul Collingwood’s middle & off stumps for Murali to reclaim for the third time his world record as the game’s leading wicket taker. He also became the only bowler to take 50 home wickets against four test teams.

It set the ground to erupt and sparked scenes of delirium in Kandy. Dancing in the stands and fire crackers all over set-off a carnival atmosphere on this historic occasion that brought great recognition to the country instantaneously.

But it also highlights a grave social problem that had been swept under the carpet by those who matter.

Tragically do you know that tens of thousand cricket enthusiasts physically impaired to varying degree for different reasons, who had the desire to come to Asgiriya to witness even such a life-time happening in our own country, were denied of that great opportunity even on this very day when the world is said to be focusing on protection of their rights, needs and necessities?!

They continue to be denied of a basic human right of ‘equality of access to facilities by everyone’, even at our cricket venues! December 10th, that’s today is ‘international day of Human Rights’ and here is a very important message to those in power!

Disability is NOT inability

Muralitharan we all know has a ‘dis-ability’ with an elbow and upper right arm that are deformed congenitally, giving the false impression of ‘throwing’ when he is bowling. Bio-mechanists have re-confirmed again and again for over ten years now that this is only an optical illusion and the actual bend of his deformed arm when bowling is minuscule and well within the tolerance limits the regulations specify.

Look at Bhagawath S. Chandrashekhar who was one of the ‘dangerous foursome’ in the golden age of Indian spin bowling, sending leg spinners with a polio withered right arm and a slightly damaged wrist. Many in that era thought he too threw the ball.

So what must be remembered is that impairments are inevitable and form part of the diversity of any society. Although some ABILITIES of us get robbed as life unfolds, yet are NOT sick people.

On the contrary, the majority are productive citizens requiring only chance and empathy - NOT charity and sympathy - to emPower them. It’s a colossal waste the country can no more afford to ignore, to deny them of enabling environments and thereby makes them disadvantaged from daily activities.

A whole spectrum of impairments affects different people at different points in their lives, adding the inevitable diversity to society. Muralitharan and the writer are just two well-known examples here from the cricket sphere.

Sri Lanka have an ever increasing cricket enthusiastic diverse sector of potential spectators, coming from our rapidly ageing population which is at 14.5% now, younger generation hit by accidents and those with less apparent range of debilitating medical conditions together with our legion of heroic disabled service personnel.

Yet, the administrators and decision makers here, in slumber, in spite of numerous appeals and requests, have tragically continued to overlook the ‘real’ needs of this ever increasing sector of our population.

Potential spectators in large numbers experiencing difficulties in walking and in climbing even few a steps, are denied the equality which comes with ‘rightly built’ environments even at many international sports venues in this country.

At a time when we are to hold here in just over three years from now, nine matches including one semi-final of the next World Cup and the entire ICC World Championship Trophy Tournament in 2012, Sri Lanka can no more afford to loose huge sectors of potential customers due to these critical shortcomings in essential facilities.

It is certainly violation of the basic human right for access. It must be our moral duty to help cricket to grow stronger in this direction as well.

‘Open your MIND to open your eyes’

We urgently need the right facilities, ‘rightly’ at match venues, for those requiring the basic external assistance to move easily and safely on their own. This will enable us not to loose not only this big sector of our own people, but also a big sector of cricket crazy public from world over in similar position, anxious to visit us as high spending tourists.

`Accessibility enables all spectators and customers equally’. In fact empathetically to modify /design physical environments at public places should be seen as INVESTMENT, not expenditure, bringing rich dividends in many a way, not only to Cricket but to the Country as well.

This includes equality of treatment for ALL spectators with hazzle-free easy to move environments and facilities and a good caring healthy image to Sri Lanka especially on human rights issues.

We believe, at least now, this will ‘OPEN the MIND’ of our Cricketers, especially Muralitharan, who can never ever forget this year’s day of the Disabled People, and thereby ‘Open their Eyes’ to actively support this cause of National importance and MAKE right things HAPPEN.

(Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera, is a former test-match panel senior cricket umpire and a professionally qualified training instructor, made a paraplegic instantaneously by a fallen wayside tree.

He has resurrected his life with determination and become a voluntary disability advocate and the well known pioneer in campaigning here vehemently from a Wheelchair on ‘Enabling Environments for All’, especially at our international sports venues.)