10-year ban on those scuttling Lanka’s plans to host Junior Championship

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has said that a 10-year sport ban will be imposed on the persons who attempted to prevent Sri Lanka from hosting the Asian Junior Championship meet.

The 15th Asian Junior Athletics Championship 2012 that was scheduled to be held from June 9 to 12 in Sugathadasa National Stadium in Colombo was indefinitely postponed Monday following a decision by the meet’s governing body Asian Athletics Association.

The General Secretary of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) Maurice Nicholas, acting on a complaint made to the AAA by a group led by a former athlete that election of officials to the Sri Lanka Athletics Association (SLAA) was not held fairly, has decided to postpone the meet.

Following an explanation of actual situation by the Minister and SLAA officials, the AAA Secretary has granted permission to hold the event as scheduled.

A committee headed by Specialist Doctor M. Gunasekera has been appointed to probe into the false allegations made to the AAA, the Minister has said in the parliament today in response to a question raised by opposition parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara.

The election for the posts in SLAA was held on May 03rd amid chaos that warranted the Sports Minister’s involvement.

A total of 850 athletes, coaches, and trainers from 43 countries were to participate in the event.