Etisalat into squash sponsorship

Richard Dwight

Etisalat Lanka (Private) Ltd has in recent times, lost little or no time in actively promoting and fostering the cause of sport in this country.

Amongst supporting other sports, Etisalat now breaks fresh ground when it will for the first time sponsor the Sri Lanka Open Squash Championship.

It is being organized and conducted by the Sri Lanka Squash Federation and will be held from Sunday, March 28 and conclude on Saturday, April 3 at the Gymkhana Cub Squash Courts at Maitland Crescent, Colombo 7. This was made known to the members of the media, at a briefing held at the club on Wednesday evening by the President of the SLSF, Oliver Guruge.

For the benefit of the sponsors, Guruge said that though squash has been in existence for 100 years - it was only officially recognised and regularised in Sri Lanka in 1981 by the formation of the SLSF.

Within the 30 years Guruge said much has been done to improve standards in the junior as well as the senior levels, be it in the schools or clubs - with players taking part in the local and Asian tournaments. The CEO of Etisalat, Dumindra Ratnayaka, was of the view that much focus is made on the varied sports here by the print as well as the electronic media and felt that his company too could mutually benefit by assisting sport.

He made the point that Etisalat was the sponsor for Barcelona and Manchester United and, here in Sri Lanka was the sponsor for the Kandy Rugger Club, and having sponsored the "Battle of the Blues" are now sponsoring this squash championship, the support of which will continue annually.

The Vice President of the SLSF, Wing Commander Jaliya Jayasuriya, giving details of championship said that the eight day long tournament will consist of 17 events, which include, boys and girls under 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19, Men's intermediate over 35, Masters over 45, 50 and Men's and Women's open.

All matches will be conducted at the international standard air-conditioned squash courts of the Gymkhana Club.

Entries will be accepted only at the SLSF Secretariat, Tamil Union C & A Club Colombo 8 upto p.m. to 5.00 p.m. on Wednesday March 24.

The draw will be held at 6.30 p.m. the same evening at the Gymkhana Club.