Coaches ill-treated at athlete felicitation

Asian Athletic Championship medal winners felicitated by Damro Company and Sri Lanka Athletic (SLA) but the coaches were neglected at this event which was held at Marine Beach Hotel Colombo 05 yesterday.

Sri Lanka Athletic team got honour to the motherland recently as they received gold, silver and bronze medals.

The medal wining athletes such as Tharushi Karunaratne, Nadeesha Ramanayaka, Gayanthika Abeyratne, 4×400 m men and women relay team and 400m mixed relay teams were felicitated yesterday. Cash awards were given to the athletes while non of the coaches received cash awards. Coaches who were present at the felicitation ceremony went back home with empty pocket, said one of the senior coaches who was with the medal winning athletes.

The athlete who won gold medal at individual event received 5 lacks cash award and Tharushi Karunaratne who won 800 m gold and Nadeesha Ramanayaka who won 400m gold received this 5 lacks cash award.

The athlete who won bronze medal at individual event received 2.5 lacks cash award while Gayanthika Abeyratne win two bronze at 800m and 1500 m received this cash awards.

Gold medal relay team member received 3 lacks cash award and men’s 400 m relay team won 3 lacks cash award each while member of the silver medal relay team received 2.5 lacks rupees cash award and women’s 400 m and mixed really event member received this cash award.

Although coaches are behind the success of medal winners, they were not felicitated with cash awards.

Earlier Sports Ministry made arrangements to give coaches who received 25 present amount of athlete cash award but this time not a single rupee for the athletic coaches and all the coaches were disappointed yesterday.

Meanwhile new Sports Director General Dr Shemal Fernando said Sports Ministry also has an idea to give cash awards for medal winners and they also have to give cash awards for the coaches.