Former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayssekera told Parliament that an investigation he had made has revealed that Sri Lanka’s athletes dwell in dormitories infested with mosquitos and spiders while weight lifters were forced to eat dry fish and sambol ahead of several international events lined up for 2025.
Before making his bombshell statement to Parliament, Jayasekera who is now an opposition MP, said he noted the absence in the Chamber of Sports Minister Sunil Gamage and his deputy Sugath Tillekaratne a former 400 metres champion runner.
“Athletes are living in hostels with mosquitos and cobwebs and weight lifters are forced to eat rice with dry fish and symbol and there is no proper diet plan in place,” Jayasekara revealed in Parliament.
He said the current situation was appalling given the manner in which athletes are treated taking into account the Youth Asian Games, World Athletics Championships, the Asian Athletics meet, the Junior Athletics meet and World Netball Championships in 2025 followed by the South Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in 2026.
Jayasekera told Parliament that athletes in training were spending their own money for their nutritional intake in the absence of a nutritionist while several qualified coaches have gone overseas in search of greener pastures and their vacancies yet to be filled.
