The Sri Lankan swim team representing the country at the FINA World Championships in Kazan, are reported to have been treated disgracefully and treated like outcast at the event by the organizing body.
It is the first time in history that such a thing has taken place where four Sri Lankan swimmers not allowed to carry the Sri Lankan flag and walk at the opening ceremony. This dastardly treatment meted out to the player is as a direct result of the Sri Lankan Aquatics Union being in the list of suspended nations.
Owing to this fact, the Sri Lankan swimmers Kimiko Raheem, Machiko Raheem, Matthew Abeysinghe and Chehan De Silva participated in the swimming championships without the Sri Lankan flag beside their name and quartet were noted down as independent participants under the FINA flag. It was also reported that at the Kazan Universiade Village, the official residence of the athletes, flew the FINA flag next to the South African flag in place of that of Sri Lanka.
Despite the disappointing state that fell to the Sri Lankan swimmers, Kimiko Raheem went on to better her national record clocking 2:21:18 in the 200m backstroke but the record went under FINA. Sri Lanka’s finest; Matthew Abeysinghe missed out on an opportunity by a millisecond to get his Olympic ‘B’ qualification in the 100m freestyle event.
Currently the junior swimmers are in Singapore participating in the Junior World Swimming Championships and they too are faced with a similar controversy. The swimmers will be swimming in the championship as independent athletes of FINA marked as Suspended Member Federation due to the current suspension intact.
Sri Lanka was deprived of their full member status this June when part of its membership conducted elections not heeding to the FINA directive to postpone the process as the current sports regulations have not yet been revised by the Sports Ministry.
ThePapare.com spoke to Akhry Ameer, the Honorable Secretary of the Sri Lanka Aquatics Union and he added this on the prevalent situation.
“We are working on getting our status restored as a member nation of FINA. This will only happen when the ministry changes the sports regulations. This will most likely be possible only after the appointment of the new Sports Minister”
Mr. Akhry further mentioned that until the case is resolved, Sri Lankan swimmers will have to continue participating in the competitions as independent athletes under FINA and will not be recognized as Sri Lankan swimmers till then.
