Sports Minister of the new government, Navin Dissanayake, has started to feel the heat of the seat of the Sports Minister already as he went on to say he hasn’t faced any problem during his political career deeper than problems in the national sports associations.
“There are various problems in the field of sports. A major problem is the crisis that exist in these sports associations. It is far more complex than political problems I have not seen any other problems in my political life which has been as deep as those in these forty eight associations within the field of sports. These are problems that cannot be solved. Problems where friends have fallen out, financial problems, financial fraud. “as stated in the media statement sent by Ministry of Sports .
Dissanayake had made these comments on Thursday (12) during a foundation stone laying function for the new building complex of the Kelaniya Football Complex which will be constructed using the provisions of Rs. 75 million provided by the World Football Federation.
“I regret to speak in connection of the field of football. We should tap our hearts and ask ourselves whether the money received on behalf of football from international sources reached our footballers in the villages. This is a question that causes much agitation. I know why. On many occasions the sport of football has received monies equal to that received by the sport of cricket. Therefore I should ask what happened to all this money. I do not want to point fingers at anybody. I am not an umpire or a judge.”
Minister has also explained experiences he has had to go through as minister when dealing with sports associations.
Yesterday (Public Day) two teams from the Body Building Federation came to the ministry and on one side was the president and on the other side the former president and they were at fisticuffs. I am in the middle. I had to spend one hour of my four hours to solve that problem. This is an uncivilized situation that takes place on certain occasions.
