Globally recognized Sports University planned in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Namal Rajapaksa said plans had been devised to attach the National Institute of Sports Science at Torrington Avenue with the Diyagama Sports Complex to establish a globally recognized Sports University.

His remarks came during a discussion at the Presidential Secretariat to review the future activities of the State Ministry of Rural and School Sports Infrastructure.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who chaired the meeting, emphasized that it is an imperative of the era to establish a sports culture in order to form a healthy, disciplined and an athletic society in the country.

Sport is the youth’s language. President noted that directing a child simultaneously towards both education and sports will raise a balanced individual for society.

President stated that Ministries of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports have a massive responsibility to bear in this regard.

Member of the Sports Council Kumar Sangakkara shared a suggestion to promote providing marks for sports talents in university entrance to popularize sports as well as to breed national level sportspersons within university network.

It was also discussed during the meeting to make a full scale restructure of Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority.

Minister of Education, Prof. G.L. Peiris, Head of the Presidential Task Force for Economic Revival Mr. Basil Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundera, Secretaries to the Cabinet and State Ministries, officials of the Line Institutes, representatives from Sports associations and veteran sports personnel were present at the discussion.