New Sri Lanka boxing chief Anuruddha Bandara made a clarion call to join hands in his journey to develop the sport in the country as he took over an organization that had gone financially bankrupt with a zero balance.
“I took up this challenge because I love boxing. I don’t belong to any faction. I need your blessings. I can’t do this alone. I need the support of everyone,” declared Bandara at a Boxing Development Conference held at the Duncan White Auditorium of the Sports Ministry on Friday.
In a show of support to the new president of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), a cross section of stakeholders of the sport from boxers to officials to sponsors were present at the historic event.
Bandara, a product of Royal College, Polonnaruwa, changed the course of his destiny when he moved to Guinea in West Africa as Development Manager of David Peiris & Company.
Realising the potential of boxers who had power but lacked technique, he voluntarily coached them enjoying success in 2018 when Guinea emerged champions at a 15-nation tournament in West Africa.
“My vision is the development of boxing in Sri Lanka for which I have a good team and formulated a plan of action. My short-term target is the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the long-term goal is 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” he said.
However, he has to virtually begin from scratch like a new association after being handed a “zero balance” from the previous BASL administration as claimed by the new secretary DIG Saman Gunaratne.
Former BASL president Dian Gomes who made way for Bandara said boxing had been running on his personal funds while the IBA (International Boxing Association) of which he is a director occasionally sponsored Sri Lanka at international tournaments.
“I will continue to support Sri Lanka boxing using my position as IBA Director,” assured Gomes.
Nonetheless, SN Gunaratne, a former Sri Lanka boxing captain revealed ambitious plans to set up a National Boxing Academy in the future and take the sport to a different level. He also assured everyone that “justice and fair-play” would be his credo while Police boxing secretary SP Aruna Katugampola stressed that instilling discipline in every aspect of administration would be a key factor.
Chairman of the Referees and Judges Commission Capt. RK Indrasena said that seminars and courses would be held to improve the standard and ensure progression of technical officials while chairman of the Coaches Commission Amila Aravinda Tissera said they plan to have training centres in each province.
Chairman of the newly formed BASL Boxing Development Committee Charith Abeysinghe, a veteran actor and media personality and former Vidyarathena University College boxer, said they are looking at promoting boxing as sports tourism by having events outdoors such as on the beach to take the sport to the masses.
Dr Anura Arambage speaking on behalf of the Medical Commission urged the BASL to increase the cadres of medical professionals to oversee boxing tournaments because every doctor is not well versed in the safety concerns of the sport.
