Dias continues fight for playground in Kotte
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Telesphore Dias
Telesphore Dias, known for his dedication to promote football, mainly in the region of Nugegoda, Rajagiriya, Kotte and its suburbs, has been continuously making pleas from the higher authorities to help him secure back the Chandra Silva Playground.
Dias, who reached 81 a few years ago, decided that he would retire from all activities, but for the past four years he is yet to totally give up on his dream of reacquiring the playground, which once helped reform a lost bunch youth in the area, to come out of unlawful activities and unite in the name of football.
“I, to save the football league, to avoid the youth fall into nefarious activities, drugs and crime, conducted meetings in the corridors of schools in Rajagiriya with the permission of the school principals. Unable to bear up, I met the Officer in-Charge R.L. Chandrasiri, of Welikada Police, who informed his Senior DIG K.P.P. Pathirana,” a feeble yet enthusiastic Dias stated.
A disability in his left arm, is not an obstacle nor a hurdle for Dias to continue with his commitment in football. He has written to three former Presidents of Sri Lanka – Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena. Unanswered yet unrelenting, Dias still continued with his plea, this time writing his fourth letter to a President of the country.
“I am seeking help to keep all clubs intact from disintegration. I have written in detail to President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, so that he would understand the plight of the youth of the area because of illicit activities, the importance of sports activities, especially football, and its ability to help the youth come out of their miserable lives and become a boon and not a bane to the society,” Dias explained.