By The Line Judge

COLOMBO – ‘Sports revenue to reach US$ 1 bn within five years’ screamed a headline last weekend in a State-owned English daily. At a time when sports contracts are being torn up because of the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it would not be wrong to view this proclamation by Minister of Sports, Namal Rajapaksa, with cynicism. It would have been dismissed as a pipe dream and a political gambit even during normal times when firms almost competed with each other to sponsor sports.

The youthful sports minister made this bold statement at the launch of a Surfing event to be held in Arugam Bay later this month. The minister’s plan includes the local manufacture and export of sports equipment, sports apparels, and services to the world. He was also confident hosting water and adventure sports events could woo high spending tourists to Sri Lanka and hoped to work with the Ministry of Tourism in this regard.

“#COVID19 has adversely affected #tourism & #sport on a global scale. It is up to us to collaborate, innovate & move fwd. My goal is to develop sport to a 1B$ industry in the next 5yrs by incorporating tourism/manufacturing/entertainment & entrepreneurship,” he tweeted.

Significantly his aim is to combine sports and tourism to create billion-dollar industry to resuscitate the ailing economy which has been hit below the belt by the global crisis. Although, it is not wrong to dream big and set high targets, whether this is a realistic goal remains to be seen.

Nonetheless, his objectives resonates with the policy statements he outlined when he took over as the youngest sports minister in the country a month ago wherein he divided sports into four main pillars, the first being developing leisure sports. “As Sri Lanka has emerged into a leading tourist destination, we need to develop this industry further by having more opportunities for leisure sports as this will also contribute towards the economy as well as create job opportunities within the youth. Secondly, I will also look at developing the competitive sports sector, by targeting world cups and global competitions, even the Olympics. Thirdly, I will also look at strengthening sports as forms of entertainment which will strengthen the sports economy while fourthly I plan to introduce a new norm into the country, and that is E-Sports. I personally know there is a lot of talent in Sri Lanka for E-Sports, especially among the younger generation, and now in a post COVID-19 world, Sri Lanka has to concentrate on this sector.”

If there is anyone who usher in a revolution by creating professionals in sports and develop sports entrepreneurs, it is the former Sri Lanka rugby captain who has the political clout and willpower to galvanize the support of industry leaders to achieve his dreams just like he gave patronage to the Carlton Sevens, which attracted a galaxy of international rugby stars to Sri Lanka.

Professionalism has become a key word in the lexicon of Minister Rajapaksa who wants to create a new sports culture in the country. Despite COVID-19 serving as a stumbling block to his well-intentioned plans, he is going full steam ahead to stay on course. Among other initiatives, the pro-active minister has been engaged with the Ministry of Education to initiate Sports Schools around the island, but faces a Herculean task to convince the health authorities that it is safe to resume school sports competitions. He has come up against fortress like defence in the health ministry which is not prepared to take any chance whatsoever to give the green light for the resumption of especially contact sports deemed high-risk such as rugby, boxing, wrestling and martial arts.

He has succeeded in bridging the chasm which existed between the Ministries of Sports and Education to some extent considering that schools are the cradle of sports and nursery to feed the national team.

However, it is imperative that Minister Rajapaksa succeeds in his attempt to win over the health ministry to resume competitions with at least limited spectators, since sportsmen and women in schools and at national level are kicking their heels in frustration without sporting activity.

For instance, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has drawn up a calendar and come up with a comprehensive plan to return to rugby following World Rugby guidelines compiled by their Chief Medical Officer Dr. Namith Sankalpana but are at the mercy of the health authorities to restart the season after the pandemic with a couple of Sevens tournaments in October.

After beginning the week on a positive note full of optimism, the sports minister has to tackle a crisis of international proportions after Bangladesh’s cricket tour of Sri Lanka next month was put in doubt because of disagreements over COVID-19 protocols.

Last week, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that the Bangladesh players would need to be in quarantine for one week upon landing in the island, before being able to train. SLC has now increased the quarantine period to 14 days, but BCB president Nazmul Hassan had said it won’t be possible for his players to be confined to their hotel rooms for that long.

Immediately after the BCB had indicated its stance, Namal Rajapaksa tweeted that he has asked the SLC to consult the Covid task force to reconsider the matter.

“As we all know the #COVID-19 pandemic is still at large globally, prevention measures are a high priority. However, given the significance of #cricket in the region, I have asked @OfficialSLC to consult the covid task force and reconsider the @BCBtigers matter,” he tweeted.

Although the Bangladesh tour may not be financially viable, it would see a return to international cricket in Sri Lanka, which plans to host the inaugural Lanka Premier League in November. So far, cricket tours by England, South Africa and India to the island have been postponed due to COVID-19. Bangladesh were set to tour in July but the series was pushed back to October. Sri Lanka was also scheduled to host the Asia Cup this year but that too has been indefinitely postponed.

The intransigence of the health ministry may yet put a spoke in the wheel of Namal Rajapaksa’s grand designs to make Sri Lanka a sporting hub.

-ENCL