Sri Lanka’s Olympians were financially rewarded by the Sports Ministry even before the Games began which other countries do not do and now four of the six who made it to Paris, swimmers Kyle Abeysinghe and Ganga Seneviratne, badminton player Viren Nettasinghe and 800 metres runner Tharushi Karunaratne will return after failing to go beyond the first attempt.
Such is the poor standard of Olympic sports in the country while officials running the National Olympic Committee (NOC) bask in immunity from accountability at an organisation that was branded most corrupt by Member of Parliament Chaminda Mayadunne recently. Sri Lanka badminton has never been at a high standard although Niluka Karunaratne qualified for the Olympics during his time by impressing at several overseas meets.
Nettasinghe too qualified after contesting what was said to be low level tournaments.
Nettasinghe ranked 70 lost his first match to a player ranked 63.
Nettasinghe is 19 years and lost his second match to Abian Pablo of Spain who is 39 years old.
Sri Lanka’s top shuttler Buwaneka Goonathilaka has beaten Nettasinghe several times in local tournaments and why was he left out from being selected is the question going around. Besides, there was no coach to guide Nettasinghe during the matches. The Sunday Observer learns that an official from Sri Lanka Badminton was by the side of the court during the matches. But was he knowledgeable enough to guide Nettasinghe?
Abeysinghe who participated in the 100m freestyle preliminary round finished 54th out of 79 of the world’s best swimmers.
Ganga Seneviratne who swam in the 100m back stroke also could not go beyond the preliminary stage.
Tharushi Karunaratne had finished last in the first heat in her favourite event the 800m track race on Friday night. She too will be back in Sri Lanka in a day or two.
