Munchee sponsors National Volleyball Championship for 13th consecutive year

The handing-over of the sponsorship and the Munchee National Volleyball Championship trophy (from left): CBL Manager – Public Relations Janaka Boteju, Munchee Marketing Manager Romesh Jayathilake, CBL Director and Chief Executive Officer Nalin B. Karunaratne, Deputy Speaker and SLVF President Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, SLVF Secretary A.S. Nalaka, and SRVF Treasurer Thushara Sampath

Munchee, the flagship brand of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. (CBL), in acknowledging the importance of volleyball as the country’s national sport, is sponsoring the annual National Volleyball Championship for the 13th consecutive year.

The official sponsorship was presented during a press briefing at Taj Samudra, Colombo which took place with the presence of senior management from CBL and representatives of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation (SLVF), the organisers of the championship.

The Munchee National Volleyball Championship – Super League and Novices tournament is expected to kick-off on 16 October, providing an ideal platform for talented players across the island to showcase their skills. The closing date for tournament entries is 15 October.

The Super League tournament is divided into men’s and women’s categories, with eight men’s teams and six women’s teams, consisting of the crème of local Volleyball players. 

Competing for the men’s Super League title are the teams from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Ports Authority, Police, National Youth Services, Ceylon Electricity Board, and Ocean Lanka. Participating in the women’s Super League are teams from the Air Force, Army, Navy, Ports Authority, Hirdaramani Sports Club, and Maha Usweva Rathanapala Sports Club. The Super League matches are scheduled to take place at the Maharagama Youth Services Council Indoor Stadium.

The finals of this segment of the tournament is expected to conclude on 28 November, bringing down the curtain on thrilling encounters. 

The Novices tournament is also divided into men’s and women’s categories and played in two phases –District and National levels. Play-off matches will begin from 14 November onwards, with the finals scheduled for 28 November at the Maharagama Stadium.

Despite the championship taking place in unprecedented times, the spikers participating are keen to contest and the fans, too, are eagerly awaiting to witness the action. Organisers expect over 2,000 teams to participate in the Munchee National Volleyball Championship. To provide further encouragement towards the sport, Munchee – in conjunction with this tournament – will also support the conducting of coaching camps for coaches in all districts.

Deputy Speaker and SLVF President Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said: “Our responsibility for developing Sri Lanka’s volleyball standards is continually boosted by the support we receive from Munchee. This year marks the 13th consecutive year Munchee has readily come forward to help strengthen the sport. Volleyball is among the popular sports played at the grassroot level and has progressed immensely over the years. This tournament is a vital calendar event to showcase talented players as well as create awareness among youth who would like to participate in the sport, contributing towards its future success. As a result, the tournament benefits and the sport also prospers.” 

Munchee’s dedication and strong commitment of over a decade in powering the national sport has also served to groom national players to represent the country at the international level.

Commenting on sponsoring the tournament, CBL Director and Chief Executive Officer Nalin B. Karunaratne said: “Munchee is committed to supporting sports. Our association with the SLVF spans over a decade. As we sponsor one of the most popular tournaments for this sport for the 13th consecutive year, we are proud to have supported the creation of a platform for talented players to become champions and earn national recognition. Despite the challenging circumstances, I believe both players and fans are looking forward to this tournament.”  

Munchee’s passion for sports and the whole sporting ecosystem in the country is fittingly demonstrated in its support for other sports, too, such as cricket, football, squash, athletics, etc.