Sri Lankan athletes’ World Junior Championship hopes dashed over lack of funds for air tickets

Despite 13 Sri Lankan athletes being qualified for the 2024 World Junior Athletics Championship to be held in Peru, their participation is now in doubt due to the lack of financial support from the Ministry of Sports.

Scheduled to take place from August 27 to 31 in Lima, Peru, the World Junior Athletics Championship represents a critical opportunity for young athletes to showcase their talents on the global stage. However, despite their qualifications, the Sri Lankan athletes have reportedly faced an uncertain future as the authorities of the Sports Ministry have refused to provide necessary provisions, including air tickets.

Against this backdrop, the Sri Lanka Athletics Association had taken steps to obtain the necessary visas for the athletes after travelling to India since the athletes have successfully met the required performance standards.

Nevertheless, despite their efforts, the association’s request for financial assistance from the sports ministry has been rejected, with a notice in writing that the budget allocated for foreign competition trips had been exhausted, leaving no funds available for air tickets or any other essential provisions for the World Junior Athletics Championship.

As a result, the dreams of these 13 promising athletes are now at risk, as their participation in the World Junior Athletics Championship—a key event in their athletic careers—remains uncertain without the necessary financial support.

In 2022, the athletes who qualified for the World Junior Athletics Championship held in Colombia faced similar challenges. Due to delays in obtaining visas, the team arrived after the tournament had already begun. As a result, some athletes were forced to rush directly from the airport to their competition events, severely impacting their performance.