Sports Minister comes in for praise

Sports-loving public, parents of players and tennis officials commended Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s decision not to interfere with selections of the Sri Lanka junior Davis Cup team to Australia.

There have been strong requests through confidants of the Sports Minister, asking him to include a player from a leading Colombo 7 school at the expense of a poor but talented boy from Kurunegala, who had earned a place in the team purely on merit.

However, Minister Aluthgamage has not entertained such requests and refused to meddle with the selection process. He has given a free hand to the national selectors, who have a reputation for transparency with their selections.

Parents of tennis-playing students paid a tribute to Minister Aluthgamage for acting in a courageous manner, without any favourations. “Thanks to the exemplary action of the Sports Minister, the most suitable team has been picked. If he had meddled with the selection, a deserving boy would have been axed from the team,” one parent said.

Officials of the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) too hailed the exemplary conduct of the Sports Minister. “It is easy to work with a Sports Minister with principles. He does not unduly meddle with the selections. He is keen to develop sport with a fair deal to everybody, treating all on merit,” a top tennis official said.