Though there were attempts by a section of the Ex-Co of Sri Lanka Squash (SLS) to thwart the tour to Chennai by junior squash players, the tour finally materialized.
The intervention by the president of SLS Ajith Abeysekara and the Active Parents Group (APG) worked behind the scene on September 19 with only three working days remaining and saw to it that the tour went ahead.
The Asian Junior Squash Tournament was held from September 25 to 29 in Chennai, India and the dangers of security risks were not heard of. The children who went had an enjoyable stay without fears but restricted their movements.
The trials and selections were conducted by the parents who have also spent their own funds to purchase air tickets and obtain visas.
The cancellation would have caused a significant financial loss to the parents and moreover lose face in the eyes of the Asian Squash Federation. After several appeals and negotiations by the parents, the Ex-Co softened their stance and issued a letter to the Director Sports in the Sports Ministry of their approval and leaving the security concerns on the shoulders of the parents.
Despite Sri Lanka Squash sleeping by not conducting tournaments, the squash community was disappointed by the double standards and attempts to sabotage the tour which they say was very disheartening.
The only tournament to be held after eight months this year was organized by the parents exposing the plight of the administration.
Some of the results are as follows:
Girls:
U-15: Veera S. C. Sinaly (Sri) beat Leong Ieng Lam (Macau) 8-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-4.
U-19: Hettiarachchi K. M. Gunawardane 9/16 (Sri) beat Chen Pin-Yu (Taipei) 11-3, 11-1, 11-4.
Boys:
U-17: Maas Ilham Feheth Asmone (Sri) beat Pan Shao-Yu (Taipei) (9/16) 15-13, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9.
U-19: Druvinka Manura Perera 9/16 (Sri) beat Chu Ching-Hsuan (Taipei) 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-2.
(Girls)
U-13: Khushboo (Ind) beat Shenalka Kulathunga (Sri) 11-6, 11-2, 11-3.
U-13: Chitrangda Goel (Ind) beat Miyuni Weerasinghe (Sri) 11-3, 11-1, 11-2.
U-13: Ranuliya Wood (Ind) beat M.D. Samaranayake (Sri) 13-11, 11-2, 11-5.
U-15: Kim Dami (Kor) beat Veera Sinaly (Sri) 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 15-13.
U-15: Yeheni Kuruppu (Sri) beat Lin Yu-Chun (Taipei) 11-5, 11-0, 11-2.
U-15: Sonya Bajaj (Sin) beat Ovishka Perera (Sri) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7.
U-15: Jun Ain (Kor) beat Shenaya Siriwardena (Sri) 11-1, 11-3, 11-2.
U-17: Sukshana Deen (Sri) beat Serandi Kohombage (Sri) 11-3, 11-5, 11-5
U-17: Amira Singh (Ind) beat Devmini Gallage (Sri) 11-1, 11-6, 11-5.
U-17: Kiroshanna Manoharan (Mal) beat Himandi Abeysundera (Sri) 11-4, 11-0, 11-6.
(Boys):
U-13: Avalokit Singh (Ind) beat Chareen Liyanaarachchi (Sri) 11-2, 11-5, 11-1.
U-13: Mohamed Rilwan (Sri) beat Hiruna Coralage (Sri) 11-7, 11-6, 11-2.
U-15: Jaivir Singh Dhillon (Ind) beat H.T. Randina (Sri) 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6.
U-15: A.N. Laksman (Sri) beat Abdulla Al-Kubaisi (Sin) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7.
U-15: Seniya Jayatilleke (Sri) beat Tsai Hsin-Lun (Taipei) 11-2, 11-7, 11-4.
U-15: Akila Atapattu (Sri) beat Chan Kuan Tai (Macau) 11-3, 11-8, 11-4.
U-17: Ilham Asmone (Sri) beat Veer Chotrani (Ind) Retired