Steps have been taken to speed up the operations of the proposed Sports University in order to provide the opportunity to undergraduates to complete the degree with expertise in sports, State Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs Rohana Dissanayaka says.
By enhancing the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex, the lawmaker said it is intended to construct the Sports University, which is expected to recognize outstanding athletes both locally and at the school level and provide the necessary facilities to advance their abilities.
He expressed these views on Friday (Aug. 11) during a press conference themed ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’ held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC).
The state minister added that the National Sports Council has been established, putting an end to allegations of political interference in the selection of athletes for international sports competitions.
He assured that the new National Sports Council, which would include seasoned athletes and experienced professionals, will contribute to the development of a robust sports culture in the nation.
Dissanayaka also vowed to take steps to restart the National Youth Sports Festival and the ‘Thurunu Shakthi’ program.
State Minister Rohana Dissanayaka further commented;
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is doing a wide range of work to improve the sporting abilities of the youth of this country to raise them to the national and international level.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is a leader who has high hopes for the youth of this country. His contribution to the nation’s youth by founding the National Youth Service Council in 1979 deserves to be remembered.
The two main institutions under our Ministry are the National Youth Service Council and the National Youth Corps. Every Regional Secretariat of this nation has a youth service officer assigned to them under the National Youth Service Council to handle youth-related issues.
The National Youth Corps is a program that has been put in place to enhance the talents of young people in this country who have left school between the ages of 18 and 29 in order to create a perfect youth generation with abilities. They are also given knowledge of various languages including Korean and Japanese.
Also, in the recent past, various issues have arisen due to political interference in the selection of athletes for international competitions. Therefore, it must be said that the step taken to appoint the National Sports Council is a very important one.
The National Sports Council consists of veteran athletes like Arjuna Ranatunga and Susanthika Jayasinghe, who are experienced sports personalities who have an understanding of the country’s sports. It has paved the opportunity to make relevant selections through appropriate levels in getting athletes to participate in international competitions. Therefore, today no one can make accusations about political interference in these affairs.
66 of the 72 sports federations in this country are currently in operation. In every sports federation in this country, another rival team is always vying for control. I request such teams to give the opportunity to the teams that can play and support the development of sports in this country.
