The world woke up this Wednesday to breaking news that Tiger Woods is to split with his wife, and take his family off the media radar, pay his lawyers a fair percentage for the negotiated settlement, and try to claw back some of his game and form.

On the other side of this superstar coin....Lewis Hamilton , the F1 contender was fined for performing stunts for his fans in Melbourne , just before the Australian Grand Prix... naturally the lawyers managed damage control and all is well.

This is international sport at its tantalizing best, providing millions of fans, a grab or two of their idols and the stars that make sport such a magnet ...so good or bad, it hardly matters. Greetings sports citizens of the new " Sri free Lanka "..... still recovering from the cricket in Dambulla , and the fluctuating fortunes of a shocking Indian trip - goodness, must be a compelling task for coach Kirsten and the management to calm the focus and get the game plan in line.

New Zealand for their part missed out for sure..... looked like they meant business, but lacked the finish and perhaps some top-line experience? The final on Saturday is a chance for our boys to win at home.. should be a cracking game if the ugly weather stays good ?

Purpose and Desire... are possibly two words that can change the destiny of future sport in sunny Lanka, as we set our sights to profile the next generation. I have been scanning through the current stats and find very little reason for young hopefuls to follow or seek as role models. Now before you all jump up and fall off your soap box.... let me qualify the stats statement, and give you the reasoning behind all this.

The World Champion Team...where are they? Not in terms of what they do, but more along the lines of how they provide inspiration for the next generation, not from advertising, but their current profiles for sport.

Hard to imagine anyone else who could have more impact for the kids... so it is vital that they have the time to share their experience and what they managed on.. how they got past the obstacles and never gave up - absolute gold dust for talent stepping up.

I need them to talk about the values of hard work, sacrifice and the big Ds; DESIRE, DEDICATION, DETERMINATION and DRIVE. Not just the words and frilly theory, but actually how it worked for them from their days at school etc...a lesson that is platinum .

The World cup arrives next year ! 2 games of the 2011 ICC mega event is here - what better time to get our plan right and get the maximum for our budding class of cricketing athletes..opportunities like this are never to be missed. We have to learn not to miss out and live in retrospect... that was the old way, those are the changes sport in this country desperately needs.

What a grand thought for the cricket parent, to get the whole World Cup team and make them cricket ambassadors for the world cup, let them share with the world how Arjuna felt at school, the desire to play for his country and how the team came together.

Aravinda, Mahanama, Kaluwitharana, Gurusingha, Tilakaratne, Wickramasinghe, Chandana etc.... with Murali, Jayasuriya and Vaas still actively playing ...it's magical to imagine. Let's call it "1 BELIEF" and create the buzz, it's definitely a win: win situation if there ever was one.

Line the list, Sunil Gunawardena, Sugath Tilakaratne, Susanthika, Anuruudha Ratnayake the boxer, Manjula, Kumara weightlifter, Damayanthi Dharsha, Sriyani Kulawansa, Julian Bolling, Hisham Abdeen, the Asian champion netball team, men and women who have won for their country , gained international titles, won medals and carved themselves a place in sporting history.

They are the ones, their story, their path to honour is not only valuable, it is true life and shows what is possible even with the odds stacked up, - a magical statement of pure fact and incredible passion. The conditions and support systems are almost non existent, except for a burning hunger to prove their natural ability against the best in the world - it must never be forgotten!

Life for us in the new season of freedom and wisdom, should not forget the brightest lights that sustained us during those dark years, it must not be forgotten or sidelined.

I am hopeful that they will be given a Hall of Fame step up, and all those who have proved with their sport that talent in this country has always been a rich and fertile spring ..pure and natural , should be honoured........ now let's enhance that and ensure the next generation of potent young islanders, the best path possible - it should be a National priority.

WE MUST CHAMPION THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF SPORT AND FAIRPLAY. Cheers and be proud - always.