Police’s sports stars to be honoured today

Traditional award ceremony for exemplary work and contribution to the Police sports will be recognised on the 17th December, 2008 at BMICH with profound respect, affection and gratitude for those Police Sports Greats who are with us and so are departed.

There were many colourful sports personalities who contributed immensely to the Police Department and the country over the years due to the high discipline standards they maintained and committed contribution during their tenure of service.

From the inception sportsmen of the calibre of D.W.B. Brindly, V.G.Prince, Malcolm Spittal, Tommy Kelaart, T.B.Werapitiya, A.C.M.Lafeer, Neil Weerasinghe, Hubert Bagot, L.M.P. de Silva, Anandian S.L. de Silva, Mithra Siriwardena, Duke Rajaratnam, H.C.Perera, Dhanasiri Weerasinghe, S.Sivaratnam are some of the sportsmen who excelled in the field of Cricket.

There were T.B. Kehelgamuwa, Franklyn Burke, G.S.Ratnayaka, Jayantha Paranathala in the latter years. In the athletic field C.C.Dissanayaka, Brute Mahendran, Piyadasa Fernando, Lesli Jayabandula, A.C.Dep, R.E.Kito, late R.L de Silva, late Ivan Boteju, R.A.F.Perera, late Christi Dariju, Nimal Fernando, Trevor Bartholawo, M.Rajendran, Premalal Weerasinghe, Sathkunaraja, V.T.Mahalingam, C.Navaratnam who figured prominently.

In the boxing field Police dominated the boxing arena in the 50s and 60s. Initially with brilliant boxers in the calibre of Eddy Gray, C.P , H.P. and S.P. Jayasuriya, brothers Dharmasiri Weerakoon all of them represented Sri Lanka at Olympic and Asian Games. Smumith Liyanage, Famous boxing Guru Masalamani Selvadorai, A.C.R.Herathge, P.C.Mahagedara, J.Thangavelu, Nimal Lewke, S.J.Sumanaweera, M.A.Jayalath and Victor Jayathilaka(Adikari) are some of the outstanding boxers in the police Department who have brought credit to the Department.

In the Rugby field it was in the late 60s the Police blossomed into the top level under the guidance of former IGP Stanley Senanayaka, Rudra Rajasingham, and players of the calibre of S.Sivendran, Abdul Majeed, Anton Benedict Thirumani, R.P.Linton, James Seneviratna, Muni Gomas, Rodney Aluvihare, Franklyn Jacob, Terry Williams, Bagoos Sourjah, Daya Jayasundara, Bandula Wijesinghe, Ibrahim Hameed, late E.K.R.Wijewardena, Rock Banda, Sunil Perera, Nazeeb, Nizam Jamaldeen, Nizam Hajireen, Somachandra, S.L. Samaraweera, S. Chandrapalan, Upall Withanage Marasinghe, Dhramakeerthi, Judy Preena, Muruga Jayaratna, J.B. Kularatna, Hafeel Marso, H.Premasiri, Palitha Siriwardena, Late Charles Wijewardena, Rohan Gunaratne, Nimal Lewke, Palitha Siriwardena, Ajantha Samarakoon, who have done their best for the Police Rugby for many years and have excelled in this field.

There are outstanding Soccer players of the calibre of Kanthi Pusella, Bagoos Sourjah, Nizam Hajireen, Harald Anthony, S.Sivaratnam, T.Wadigaratnam, Nalin Perera, Azeez Bawa, Bernard Silva, Clemet De Silva, Navugalage Judy Preena, are some of the outstanding Police Soccer players.

There are many outstanding allrounders, apart from the above sportsmen in the calibre of cyclist Lesile Rubasinghe who won the Tour de Lanka and in recent past there were youngsters who won the international in Tai Kondo. One of them is Kamal Fernando and the Police Cyclists Asanka and female athlete Lasanthi Jayawardena have also done their best in the recent past.

The biggest achievement in the field of sports, a policeman has gained, way back in 1938 was famous Barney Henricus winning the Commonwealth Games Bantam Weight Gold Meddle for Sri Lanka.

This year the most outstanding sportsman award will be received by Sanjaya Pradeep Kumara Captain of the Police soccer Team which won the FA Cup after lapse of 35 years. The outstanding sportswoman trophy will go to Lasanthi Jayawardena who is the Sri Lanka 400 metres champion.

Unlike the present day sportsmen and women the yesteryear sportsmen and women through sheer hard work and dedication have achieved very high standerds. Unlike at present there were no lucrative sponsor packages available for sportsmen. All these police sportsmen indulged in sports apart from their day-to-day strenuous Police duties day and night.

It is a tribute to all those sportsmen and women in 1978 under the guidance of then IGP Stanley Senanayake the first Police Sports Colours Nite was held and at that time Director Sports was late SSP V.T.Dickman and the winner of the first sportsman of the year award was Sub Inspector Rohan Gunaratna (Rugby Player). In 1979 it was shared by Sri Lanka Soccer Captain Clement de Silva and ACE Place Kicker Charles Wijewardena (Rugby Player), 1980 Nimal Lewke(Rugby Player) followed by Rranklin Burke, Rohan Gunaratna, Hafeel Marso, M.H.Muzameil, C.I. Walters, etc.

The present IGP Jayantha Wickramaratna after assuming duties as IGP has taken personal interest to encourage the sportsmen and given incentives for sportsmen to continue their sport scareer in order to bring credit to the Department and the country. IGP Jayantha Wickramaratna will be the Chief Guest of this event where 283 sportsmen and women who have earned colours for their excellent performance in the field of sports will be honoured.

Apart from the colours, cash rewards upto 120 lakhs will be distributed among the award winners.

IGP has gone one step forward this year in order to honour the former Police Outstanding Sportsmen and Women in the calibre of Sumith Liyanage, T.B.Kehelgamuwa, Leslie, Rupasinghe, Muni Gomas, Heron Dias, Premila Diwakara and Abdul Majeed and they will grace this occasion as Guests of honour to present some of the awards to award winners.

This event is going to be a real encouragement for the Police Sportsmen and Women and under the guidance of present IGP Jayantha Wickramaratna Police Department will reach the highest level in Sports field in the near future.