Commonwealth Games medal winners felicitated

Sports could be a diplomatic bridge to build peace, unity and brotherhood among our communities in Sri Lanka acting Minister of Sports Faizer Mustapha said at a felicitation ceremony held at Duncan White Auditorium yesterday for the Sri Lankan athletes who excelled at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games.

Whilst pointing out that his appointment as acting Sports Minister was not permanent Mustapha said that it is the duty of the government to felicitate “our national assets” who excelled at the Commonwealth Games.

“I discussed this with former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara and decided to organize this ceremony,” said Mustapha.

“We never won a single medal at the last Commonwealth Games but with support from the Ministry of Sports and the National Federations’ immense contribution we won six medals,” he said.

Mustapha, the Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister was last week appointed as acting Sports Minister after Dayasiri Jayasekara resigned from his portfolio. Jayasekara who also graced the occasion thanked Mustapha for inviting him to the felicitation and said, “I thank all the participants who competed for honor at the Commonwealth Games. After 80 years we have won the highest number of medals. During my tenure we have done our best and so far concluded all the sports national federations’ elections including the National Olympic Council. Only two or three federations have to hold their elections out of the 60 national sports federations.” Jayasekara further said that the amendments to the Sports Law were in the final stages and he hoped the present Minister will complete it. The athletes were felicitated with cash reward letters and Minister Mustapha promised the athletes that they will be further rewarded by President Maithripala Sirisena as well.

According to the Minister of Sports Rs. 4 million was allocated for winning the Silver medal and Rs. 3 million for Bronze.

Weightlifter Indika Dissanayake won the Silver and the Bronze medal winners were Chaturanga Lakmal and Dinusha Gomes (both weightlifting) and, Anusha Kodituwakku, Thivanka Ranasinghe and Vidanalange Bandara (all boxing).

Sri Lanka was placed 31st in the medals table at the 21st Commonwealth Games that was held at Gold Coast, Australia with a total medals tally of six which consisted of one silver and five bronze medals. This was the highest number of medals the country has accumulated at the Commonwealth Games.