Sri Lanka’s current economical and political crises have the beautifully Island country hit a worse low, but amidst the chaotic situation there’s a piece of welcoming news that’s reported by Mihir Vasavda in The Indian Express where he writes about “cricket comes to rescue of Sri Lanka’s Commonwealth Games-bound athletes.”
The Olympic association were told to forget about participating in the Commonwealth Games to be held in the United Kingdom by the Sri Lankan government sometime back. Sri Lankan cricket body has come to rescue the Commonwealth Games-bound athletes by contributing 22 million Sri Lankan rupees to which Sri Lanka’s chef de mission Dampath Fernando in his conversation with Indian Express quoted, “It’s a fairly big amount. “Ours is a small country, we (administrators) know each other very well. In a crisis situation like the one at present, we need to appreciate that the cricket board volunteered to help the Olympic association. That’s very unique.”
The money has helped government bring air tickets to Birmingham for some officials and athletes. The national federation will use a part of it to organise competition attire. Mihir writes, “Amidst the unprecedented economic crisis and massive protests, Sri Lanka Cricket has managed to remain insulated due to broadcast deals and ticket sales. Recently, for the first time since the start of the pandemic, crowds were allowed into the stadiums for the series against Australia. The board reportedly donated revenue generated from the Australia series, approximately $2 million, to public welfare initiatives.”
National treasures are to be taken care of and what better example than this. Sprint sensation, Yupun Abekoon, the first South Asian to run 100m in less than 10 seconds will get direct monetary support from the Sri Lankan cricket board for the next two years to continue training and competing abroad. Sri Lanka will send a total of 114 athletes (60 women and 54 men) to Birmingham which is 34 more than the 2018 edition.
Sports often has gone on and revived relations and economies of nations and we hope that’s what happens in this very disappointing case of Sri Lanka, the beautiful island nation. The Sri Lankan women’s team is yet to name their squad for the Commonwealth Games, but what’s known is that they are placed in group B where they first play England on the 30th of July before playing New Zealand and South Africa on the 2nd and the 4th of August respectively.
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