Sri Lanka’s participation at Commonwealth Youth Games uncertain due to visa issue

Sports Ministry and Sri Lanka Athletics look for other options after NOC failure

By Reemus Fernando

The participation of Sri Lanka youth team inclusive of Ambagamuwa central medal prospect Ayomal Akalanka at the forthcoming Commonwealth Youth Games is in jeopardy after the National Olympic Committee failed to obtain visas for country’s teenagers to transit in Amsterdam en route to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago where the international multi sports event is scheduled to commence on August 4.

Sri Lanka were set to field a contingent of eleven young sports men and women inclusive of five track and field athletes, two beach volleyball players and four swimmers.

According to sources the National Olympic Committee has failed to obtain visas for the team to touch down in Amsterdam where they are scheduled to transit.

“The team were informed yesterday that the NOC had taken all possible measures to obtain visas and their attempts had been found futile so far. The team were asked to find other options if there were any,” a source close to the team told The Island yesterday.

Incidentally, the visa denial has come hot on the heels of Sri Lanka National record holder in the triple jump Shreshan Dananjaya decamping during a competition in Switzerland.

However, all hope is not lost for the Sri Lanka team. Sources said that the Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe and Sri Lanka Athletics president Palitha Fernando were looking for other options to send the team on a different route.

The Commonwealth Youth Games is a quadrennial multi sports event for youth in the age category of 14 to 18. It is taken part by nearly 50 Commonwealth nations and is conducted by the Commonwealth Games Federations. Sri Lanka has done fairly well at these Games winning a total of 14 medals in history making them the 16th ranked Commonwealth country in the all times medals table.

Track and field athletes had been among leading medal contenders in Sri Lanka teams and this time too the track and field administration was confident of winning medals after the likes of Ayomal Akalanka excelled winning medals at the Asian Youth Championships.

Ambagamuwa Central hurdler Akalanka who is among the top six athletes in the world this season and the top three among athletes in his age category among Commonwealth nations is a bright medal prospect. Now with the tour in jeopardy the teenagers like Akalanka who have toiled hard to be in shape for these demanding events will be deeply disappointed.