The Ministry of Higher Education is planning to introduce sports science and sports researches to the universities in Sri Lanka from February.

 

The courses will be conducted by three professors and it will be launched from the Peradeniya University shortly. 

 

The courses on sports science and nutrition will be conducted by two professors while sports psychology courses will be conducted by a professor from the USA. 

 

The Ministry of Higher Education will provide financial assistance worth Rs. 3.5 million. 

 

For the first time in eleven years there will be a National Cricket Selection Committee sans the name of Don Anurasiri. 

 

However, the new list of five names would carry the name of Matara District Parliamentarian Sanath Jayasuriya -- in all probability as the Chairman of Selectors.

 

When asked why a politician was named on the selection panel, Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage cleared the air with the answer: “The selection committee is not a sports body. So that question does not arise at this point. However, still there is no law against a politician being a member of a sports body. When we were about to present that clause in parliament, former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga filed a case in the Supreme Court and he got a verdict in favour of him. Now we are in the process of directing this claim to the effect that politicians cannot be a part of sports bodies and we have requested the Attorney General’s views on it.”

 

The new selection panel will probably also carry the likes of Jayantha Amerasinghe, Ranjith Madurasinghe,  Eric Upashantha, Hemantha Wickramaratne, Vinothan John and Jayantha Seneviratne. 

 

When asked about Don Anurasiri’s exclusion, the minister said, “Definitely Don Anurasiri will not be a selector this time. He has been there long enough.” 

 

However the panel of selectors will carry two full time selectors while the chairman of selectors would get the opportunity of being a co-opted member of the SLC ex-co.

 

The new selection committee will have the task of re-shaping Sri Lanka’s cricket future, as they will be entrusted with the task of looking into the possibilities of segregating the sides into two segments – Test and Limited Overs. 

 

Meanwhile, it is almost certain that Sri Lanka’s first Test cricket captain, Bandula Warnapura, will be the next Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Cricket.

 

An SLC insider said, “SLC is seriously considering Bandula to take up the post. It needs a strong personality of that nature – a person who has played the game at that level and also has good administrative skills. SLC has to agree upon the terms and conditions. Once it is done, he could be appointed.” 

 

“When a person like Bandula is at the helm, the elected committee can pursue the policy decisions while the CEO can run the cricket in the country.”  

 

The insider said, “While going with the next CEO we are also thinking of grooming someone who is also in the picked list, but that is a project for the future.” 

 

Warnapura (59) represented Nalanda College and went to be the first Test cricket captain of Sri Lanka and also held the posts of Director Cricket Operations, Manager Sri Lanka Cricket team and also served as the Sri Lanka coach for a limited period. 

 

He is likely to take over the position on April 1. 

 

At present he serves the Asian Cricket Council as Cricket Development Manager. 

 

The newly elected President of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka Lakshmi Victoria believes that the sport could be further improved with the backing of all former and present officials. 

 

The Manager of the Peoples Bank and former schoolgirl of Maliyadeva Girls School Kurunegala collected a total of 25 votes to beat her main rival Trixie Nanayakkara who managed to obtain only eight votes at the AGM held on Thursday (24) at the Sports Development Department in Torrington Avenue.  

 

Victoria speaking to the Sunday Times soon after her success urged all former and present stalwarts of the game to rally around her to convert the game into the highest level.

 

She stated that high priority will be given towards winning the World Youth Netball Championships in Brunei this year and the next Asian Championships in Singapore next year.

 

She also said that a short term plan will be launched to reach the top 12 in the World Rankings which will then enable the country to participate in the Commonwealth Netball Championships.

 

The new President also added that she has three main targets and few more plans in mind to develop netball in the country in an attempt to lift the sport to the highest level.

 

She stated that at the moment there is no permanent office for the federation and an official court for the national team for practices and they need to move into several places for their regular practice and training sessions.

 

She said that she intend putting up a netball headquarters by requesting a suitable land from Colombo from the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and through the sponsorship of other companies.

 

Victoria who was the first schoolgirl to represent the national pool believed that discipline in the administration and transactions and proper handling of the financial sector are the key areas for the success of the federation.

 

The new President also believed that there is plenty of talent in the outstations and the rural areas which should be identified and nurtured for the betterment of the game in the country.

 

She stated that her main idea in contesting the post of president was to guide the Sri Lankan team in the correct path at this crucial period after having lost the Asian Championship final to Singapore.

 

Victoria is the first of six women’s cadet officers to join Sri Lanka Army and later went on to captain the Sri Lanka Army Sports Club and was also promoted to the rank of Captain.

 

Victoria left the force and joined People’s Bank and later functioned as the financial coordinating officer between the Sports Ministry and the Sri Lanka Netball Federation.

 

Sri Lanka’s national champion Niluka Karunaratne and his brother Dinuka Karunaratne will represent the country at the Iran Fajr International Challenge Badminton tournament from February 14 to 17 in Tehran.

 

The tournament will be conducted by the Asian Badminton Confederation and it carries a total prize money of US $ 15,000.

 

Niluka Karunaratne who is currently ranked 37th in the World Rankings will compete in the men’s singles and will join Dinuka Karunaratne in the men’s doubles event.