Minister of Sports Harin Fernando launched the new website for the Sugathadasa Sports Complex on Friday at the Stadium Complex and declared opened the Administrative building and hostel for its employees while laying the foundation stone to construct a new parapet wall around the compound.
The Minister noted that Sri Lanka has only one synthetic track for athletes while track and field sportsmen and women in the outstations train and practice on substandard surfaces.
“Under such conditions can Sri Lanka expect them to win medals,” Minister Fernando asked.
With this in mind the minister said he has plans to lay synthetic tracks at Bogambara, Matale, Badulla and Anuradhapura. When asked whether the Ministry will take action to commence work of the Nuwara Eliya Sports Complex which has come to a standstill, he said that as the agreement has expired the Ministry took steps to sign a new agreement.
Work on this project is due to commence soon according to the Minister.
“In the past everybody was interested only in cricket and they constructed stadiums around the country for the benefit of cricket. Now the time has come to think of building stadiums with modern facilities if Sri Lanka is to gain maximum out of outstation sportsmen,” he said.
Minister Fernando also noted the present appalling state of the Sugathadasa Stadium where even its maintenance employees serve under very difficult conditions due to the negligence of the authorities in the past.
The redevelopment projects will cost Rs. 35 million according to Minister Fernando.