The second round of the Dialog National Netball Championship commenced at Ratnawaliya College Indoor Stadium in Gampaha without proper safety facilities to the players.
The Sri Lanka Netball Federation (SLNF) conducted the tournament without proper medical team and an ambulance at the venue. Usually in a game of netball a medical team and an ambulance is a must according to international rules.
“When the championships commenced the president of SLNF said they were conducting the nationals according to international standards,” said former national player Hyacinth Wijesinghe.
“They even conducted the game between Hatton National Bank and Army SC without scoreboard. I have complained of this to the organizers but there has been no proper response. We need to consider the player’s safety. There are no padding in the goal posts and technical wise the tournament organizers have failed in their duty,” she said.
Hyacinth pointed at the championships was sponsored by Dialog Axiata with huge sponsorship and questioned why the Federation failed to have proper goal posts with net.
“In the history of netball in this country this is the first time a national is held without goal post nets. It’s a shame on the officials. My question to the authorities is what has happened to money given by the sponsors?” Hyacinth said.
“Officials she said were spending money for entertainment purposes not for netball development. Dialog came forward to support the game and develop it but SLNF officials are not utilizing the money properly,” she said.
When the ‘Daily News’ tried to contact the tournament organizer Champa Alwis her mobile was switched off.
Two matches were played yesterday in the second round where Hatton National Bank defeated Army SC by 58 to 41 and Air Force beat Seylan Bank 64-40.
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