Youth volleyball players lose Asian championship chance after Sports Ministry says no funds, despite Rs. 70M spent on Beach Games.
Youth volleyball players in Sri Lanka have been denied the chance to compete at the Under-18 Central Asia Volleyball Association Championships after the Sports Ministry said there were no funds for the tour.
Sri Lanka’s boys and girls, many of whom had skipped academic activities to undergo residential training, were preparing to take part in the championship in Uzbekistan from May 12 to 18.
However, the Sports Ministry has now told them to stay back, saying it does not have the money to fund their travel.
The decision has triggered anger and disappointment, especially after Sri Lanka reportedly spent enough money to send 32 officials to last month’s Beach Games in China.
According to officials, the Sports Ministry had allocated Rs. 70 million for the Beach Games, but later stated at the last minute that it could not provide Rs. 20 million for the youth volleyball championship.
Officials of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation said the players had been selected under the instructions and supervision of the Ministry of Sports.
They also said the tour had received the necessary approval from the National Sports Council.
Despite this, the Ministry later refused to allocate the funds required for the tour, where Sri Lanka was expected to be represented in volleyball, the country’s National Sport.
The SLVF had estimated the total cost of the tour, including air tickets, accommodation, and other expenses, at Rs. 20 million.
The sudden decision has left school athletes and their parents deeply frustrated, especially as residential training had been taking place since April 7 in preparation for the competition.
Parents said they would not have allowed their children to sacrifice academic studies for training if they had been informed earlier that funding was uncertain.
They also blamed the negligence and inefficiency of officials for the outcome.
It is reported that the players had already spent family funds on passports and other preparatory arrangements, making the setback even more painful.
Training for the tour had been conducted at the Kotawila National Sports Complex in Matara.
Officials had also raised the expectations of players by providing guidance and assurances regarding the tour.
The planned touring contingent was to include the players, six coaches, two team managers, and a female official in charge of the girls’ team.
However, questions remain over why funds were available for officials at the Beach Games but not for young athletes representing Sri Lanka in its National Sport.
What happens next could be critical, as the withdrawal marks a major setback for Sri Lanka’s youth volleyball development programme and denies young players valuable international exposure.
