IN-FIGHTING AMONG OFFICIALS MUST STOP: PM

If sports is to improve

Sport club Officials have during the past few years been involved in fighting among themselves and this should end, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

He said we must formulate a national sports policy next year and develop our sports to reach world standards by 2018. Every sport must have a programme of work and targets to achieve

The Prime Minister made these comments when he participated as the chief guest on the invitation of Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera at the 41st National Sports Festival held at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium at Homagama in Diyagama.

He said adequate funds had not been provided for sports and that the provincial sports ministries lacked direction on a national level resulting in various institutions acting arbitrarily.

“Our aim should not be confined to a national level. It should cover Asian, South Asian, Commonwealth and the Olympic games. It must apply to Tennis and cricket as well. I appreciate Minister Jayasekera’s new programme on developing sports and hoped that with the setting up of an independent authority to oversee the implementation of sports laws through which all sportsmen and sportswomen will be able to better their future prospects in their chosen sports, the Prime Minister said. “All sports clubs must have a programme of work with proper targets.”

He also assured that with the setting up of a special authority for development of sports, it is necessary to have long-term targets and the youth should be molded to excel in sports.

Minister Jayasekera also spoke at this event.