Denying junior team World Championship opportunity will have detrimental effect on sport

by Reemus Fernando

It is no easy task reaching qualifying standards for a global event conducted by World Athletics. The World Athletics qualifying standard for the just concluded Paris Olympics was so high that no Sri Lankan could reach direct qualifying standards. The three athletes who represented Sri Lanka accomplished the task by improving their world rankings.

This year Sri Lankan juniors created history as 12 athletes – the highest number ever- reached entry standards for the World Junior Championships to be held in Lima, Peru.

But with just days remaining for the start of the event their journey to Peru remains uncertain due to lack of funds.

Sri Lanka Athletics is among many national sports bodies heavily dependent on Sports Ministry funds for such journeys. The latter has informed the track and field governing body that they do not have funds to provide for the costly trip at the eleventh hour.

At a time when the magnificent achievement of the young athletes have to be appreciated and encouraged, it seems the sports ministry had turned their backs to the future athletes of country’s track and field sports.

Hundreds of school athletes train hard throughout the year to excell at junior national level and reach qualifying standards for top international level competitions. The twelve athletes and their coaches have not received much support from authorities thus far except for the technical guidance they have received from the sports governing body. But their hard work will help Sri Lanka make their presence felt at a global stage where some of the Paris Olympics participants too are set to compete.

Due to financial constraints sports and cultural activities are the areas the parents are least interested in encouraging their children to take part. On such a backdrop denying the Junior Team the opportunity to take part in the World Junior Championships is certain to have huge repercussions.

Incidentally, the Sports Ministry, which is claiming not to have funds has ventured into organizing a major sports event just after concluding their flagship event, the National Sports Festival spending a colossal amount of money.

It was not long ago the Asian Games medallist Tharushi Karunaratne gained her first global level exposure at the previous edition of the World Junior Championship in Cali. Karunaratne and co faced lot of odds before reaching Cali. However, the experience has stood her and fellow athletes in good stead. It is incumbent upon authorities to provide necessary facilities for the country’s future athletes to prosper in their field before they give up on athletics.