‘It is an imperative to establish a Sports culture in order to form a healthy and disciplined society in the country, said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a discussion regarding the future activities of the State Ministry of Rural and Sports Infrastructure Promotion held at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (16).
The President said that sport is the youth’s language. Directing a child simultaneously towards both education and sports will raise a balanced individual for society. Therefore Ministries of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports have a massive responsibility to build up this environment. It was necessary to identify popular sports in remote areas and train sportsmen and sportswomen under training programmes.
He also stressed the requirement of a programme to hone the skills of the students who show prowess in sports by providing them nutritious food and access to international level training from a young age. Despite the construction of school playgrounds following requests by the people, it was evident on several occasions that they had not been maintained properly.
President Rajapaksa also advised officials to establish a separate unit to maintain school playgrounds at district level.
Meanwhile Head of the Presidential Task Force for Economic Revival Basil Rajapaksa said Provincial Government bodies have the capability to maintain school playgrounds. He requested from the officials to upgrade school playgrounds within three months.
The Youth and Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa pointed out that plans have been devised to locate the National Institute of Sports Science at Torrington Avenue with the Diyagama Sports Complex to establish a globally recognized Sports University. Minister Rajapaksa also added that in order to create a sports culture it is necessary to look for locations and construct playgrounds accordingly. He further said that during the past month they have focused on tasks such as taking all the major playgrounds under the purview of one institute, maintaining 25 fully accommodated playgrounds, new proposals for the sports ordinance and formulation of a new sports act and attracting sponsorships from the private sector to promote sports. The State Minister of Rural and Sports Infrastructure Thenuka Vidanagamage pointed out the importance of developing sports at divisional level.
Meanwhile Member of the Sports Council and former National cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara highlighted the importance of ranking each sport and training sportspersons targeting international games. In addition Sangakkara also shared a suggestion to give marks for talented sports persons for university entrance.
During this meeting It was also decided to make a full scale revamping of Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority. In addition taking part in sports such as archery and shooting which have a chance of winning Olympic medals. Meanwhile Cabinet and State Ministers requested the Sri Lankan sportspersons around the globe to gather under the national flag to bring glory to the motherland.
The Minister of Education, Prof. G.L. Peiris, Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, State Minister Thenuka Vidanagamage, Head of the Presidential Task Force for Economic Revival Basil Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundera, Secretaries to the Cabinet and State Ministries, Army Commander Lt General Shavendra Silva who is also sports council member, officials of the sports institutes, representatives from Sports associations, Officials of the Sri Lankan Anti Doping Agency and veteran sports personnel were present.
