Government prepared to help sports - Sports Minister

S M Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Corr.

One of the objectives of sports is not only to win or lose but to participate in sports is very important. Participation in sports produces a disease-free individual and also results in longevity and above all it teaches us team work, discipline and leadership qualities. All these come into play in society” said the Minister of Sports C B Ratnayake.

He made these observations at the awards ceremony at the conclusion of the 13th Netball Nationals organized by the Sri Lanka Netball Federation in association with the Kandy District Netball Association and worked off at Nittawela.

Minister Ratnayake said in the finals just concluded they had witnessed how a tall player from the Seylan Bank had dominated play by scoring almost all the points for her team and the other teams should learn a lesson from this and look for similar players and mould them into sharp shooters. Your playing may be good but if you cannot shoot your goals, your efforts would be in vain.

He said that our national netball team had performed well and his Ministry will give them all the support for their future endeavours. Likewise the Private Sector and the Banks should help the sportsmen and women by providing them employment and this will help them to continue their sports.

Nostalgically he said that Nittawela is no strange place for him as he had played his rugby for Vidyartha College at this venue as a schoolboy and at that time was a different place and now it is a rugby stadium which is well maintained. Turning to sports journalist and MMC Hafiz Marikkar said he had known him from his school days and he looks young and does not appear to get on with the age. He looks still the same.

He said that the present government is prepared to help those involved in sports. Diploma in Sports which was earlier issued by the foreign Universities will be soon issued by local Universities and this course will be introduced in Sabaragamuwa, Peradeniya, Colombo and other Universities. This will help the sportsmen and women to develop their career further.

He paid a glowing tribute to the Kandy District Netball Association headed by Central Provincial Councillor Ms Shanthini Kohongahage and the Sri Lanka Netball Federation for the excellent arrangement in staging this national championship after a lapse of 3 years. Now that a re-start had been made, this should be an on going championship.

President of the Kandy District Netball Association said that if they are to develop this sport in the district more, they should have more netball courts where the players could train and sharpen their skills.