Sports Minister Says Sri Lanka’s Sports System Needs to Be Rebuilt from the Ground Up

🛑 “There is no point in appointing a capable committee if we lack the players.”

🛑 “We are taking this approach because the sport needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.”

🛑 “After all, staging protests is what the opposition does.”

Speaking to the media following a programme held today, Sports Minister Mr. Sunil Kumara Gamage said that more funding would be allocated to sports, with greater emphasis on developing school-level sports.

“Last year, we allocated more than Rs. 800 million from the budget for sports, and we intend to allocate even more this time. This is because we must develop school sports before we can build up national-level sports,” he said.

He noted that there were several minor issues with the existing mechanism involving school sports associations that had not yet been resolved.

“This problem has arisen because two separate ministries are involved, but we are currently working to resolve the matter,” he said.

The Minister further stated that appointing capable committees would have little value without developing athletes themselves.

“No matter how excellent the committees we appoint may be, it is pointless without the athletes themselves. When I look at some of our athletes, I realise that we need to rebuild the system from the ground up. We are currently dealing with just one aspect of a long-standing issue. This needs to be restructured from the very foundation,” he said.

Addressing the government's approach, the Minister said that the government had received a mandate from the people to fulfil their aspirations.

“As a people's government, we have secured a mandate from the public to fulfil their aspirations. Our only concern is whether the people accept or reject our actions,” he said.

He also commented on the role of the opposition, stating that opposing the government was part of its role.

“The opposition's role is simply to oppose. Regardless of whether a measure is good or bad, their job is to oppose it,” he said.