By T.B. Rahaman
The Sri Lanka Badminton Association in coordination with the Schools Badminton Association is planning to send a large number of junior players to participate in the Li Ning Youth Badminton Championship to be held in Singapore from December 13 to 19.
The Championship sponsored by Li Ning will feature events in five age groups of under-11, 13, 15, 17 and 19.
Sri Lanka will send juniors for three age groups of under-15, 17 and 19. The two lower age groups have been omitted by the Education Ministry.
According to the president of the Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA) Roshan Gunawardana, the Education Ministry refused to include the lower age groups as they were not allowed to represent the country at that age.
Gunawardena told Daily Mirror that the players were picked by the selection committee of the Schools Badminton Association and the four officials who will accompany the players are also from the Schools Association.
Twenty countries are sending their players to represent their respective countries at this prestigious championship.
However, the letter (dated 20 Nov. 2010) sent to the principals of the schools seeking the release of players for the championship was sent on letter heads of the SLBA and signed by the president Roshan Gunawardana.
The letter states that the concerned child has been selected to represent the country at the Li Ning Junior Badminton Championship and that the principal’s permission was needed to take the player to Singapore.
Gunawardana also said that the government was not giving money to take the children for this tournament and that each child should find their own funds.
Entries for this tournament closed on November 15, 2010 in Singapore.
Parents complained that they were asked to deposit the money to a bank account that they do not know to whom it belongs. The amount being collected from each player is Rs. 95,000/= and more than 40 players have been selected.
When Roshan Gunawardana became the president of the SLBA he embarked on a venture to take the game to the village. Now he is working overtime to send players for foreign tournaments. Is this a way to entice the players to take to the game and reach a high standard soon? One parent who contacted the Daily Mirror asked.
Two years ago another controversial tour like this to Singapore where a lot of school children paid and took part ended in disaster when the parents complained that the children were put up at hotels which also doubled up as brothels.
(www.dailymirror.lk)
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