Thursday 24th July, 2008 15 National downgraded ... A true hero analyses National Sporting Honours by Reemus Fernando that the Minister has as to how they earned their Dropped like a hot potato been taken for a ride by the chance to participate. at the National Sporting organizers who deliberately Nepotism was at its peak for Honours awards presentation, undermined the achievements some sports, which were rec- retired national spiker, Kalika of the spikers at the National ognized for their mere partici- Wasanthapriya, who lead Sri Sporting Honours awards cer- pation at the .” Lanka to its first ever victory emony. The synchronised swim- over Pakistan in 2006 and “We have been waiting a ming team of the Qatar guided the team to a champi- long time for due recognition. Asian Games received awards onship final for the first time But when the state honoured for mere participation. They the same year, is disappointed its sporting heroes for the first were placed seventh out of that , the National time in history, the spikers seven countries at the Asian sport of Sri Lanka was given were a forgotten lot,” said Games. The points earned by Wasanthapriya in an inter- the Sri Lanka team were far view with ‘The Island’ on below the points aggregated Tuesday. by the team placed sixth. The “The state has recognized organizers had recognized The synchronised volleyball as the national their performance in such a sport. But sadly, that very way they dedicated at least team at the Doha Qatar sport and the players were not three pages of the Awards worthy for awards at the so Ceremony Souvenir Book to Asian Games received called National Sporting allocate pictures and a write Honours,” said a dissappoint- up of the synchronized swim- awards for mere participa- ed Wasanthapriya, who ming team. A sports enthusi- accused the authorities of ast reading this book after a tion. They were placed sev- delivering a demoralizing few decades will be undoubt- blow to the sport at a time edly bewildered. Even Cricket enth out of seven countries when it was gathering momen- World Cup winning captain at the Asian Games. The tum under the present admin- Arjuna Ranathunga could not istration. have a page dedicated to him points earned by the Sri “How can you motivate the in this book. They had provid- younger generation to take up ed a small space in this book Lanka team were far below to volleyball, the national to Sri Lanka’s first interna- Kalika Wasanthapriya sport, when the sport is treat- tional medal winning female the points aggregated by ed badly at such an important athlete Nirmala Dissanayake regional championship title crowds were not brought in by ognizing, then they would landmark,” Wasanthapriya (1962 Asian Games 200 (Gold), for the first time in his- buses as some do it to boost have honourd the volleyball the team placed sixth. The queried. meter Bronze medalist), tory at the 1991 SA Games. their own image in sports gov- team which took part in the “We were not even invited whereas synchronized swim- Since then they have been erned by them. The crowd that 1966 Asian Games. We had a organizers had recognized to witness the gala. It was dis- mers had space beyond their winning the silver medal at filled the Sugathadasa volleyball men’s team taking appointing. Sportsmen and stature,” explained the SA Games. The Sri Lanka Stadium on that historic day part in the 1966 Asian Games. their performance in such a women we have never heard of Wasanthapriya, who repre- men’s volleyball team beat in 2006 were true sports Sri Lanka were placed 9th out were honoured for their mere sented Sri Lanka the Sri India for the first time in 1995. lovers. We are more than satis- of 14 countries. They were not way they dedicated at least participation when hundreds Lanka team from 1986 to 2006 We had never won a match fied with their tribute which honoured.” of spikers who toiled to keep at a stretch. against Pakistan in until the is the most valuable tribute While stating that he had three pages of the Awards the National sport alive for “As a former volleyball 2006 SA Games. The team one can receive.” no personal grudge with any decades went unrewarded,” player, I am concerned about under my captaincy beat the “The organizers could have award winner, Wasanthapriya Ceremony Souvenir Book to said Wasanthapriya. my sport, but there were other Pakistan team in 2006 and dedicated more time to fact said that the organizers treat- “Olympic participation, sports which suffered the reached the volleyball vhampi- finding, before finalizing the ment towards volleyball was allocate pictures and a write Commonwealth Games medals same treatment.The world onship final in 2006. That was award winners. This kind of unjust. up of the synchronized and Asian Games medals and Carrom champions had no the first time in history that recognition demoralizes the Wasanthapriya, who was diploma holders were hon- place at the ceremony. Former we reached a final. Weren’t up and coming players in still at his peak when he swimming team. oured at the ceremony and not Asian netball champions and these historic moments and sports which were not recog- retired after representing the the medal winners at the the runner-up teams and Sri the people made possible those nized. Honouring Olympic country for 20 years in 2006, is South Asian Games. Recently, Lanka football players who victories worthy of national participation is okay, but now the trainer of the nation- NOC Chairman, Hemasiri reached the SA Games football recognition? along with that they could al volleyball team. Like many Fernando said that Sri Lanka final after many years, were The thousands who packed have named the medal win- spikers, netballers and foot- step motherly treatment at the should treat the SA Games as victims of this nepotism.” the Sugathadasa Indoor ners of the Asian Games, ball players, he too represent- National Sports Honours its Olympics. But sadly, he was “As far as the national Stadium when we played the Commonwealth Games and ed in an era where represent- awards ceremony. also a member of this panel sport is concerned it has SA Games final against India South Asian Games for hon- ing their country was the only Wasanthapriya, probably who adjudged the award win- reached phenomenal heights (2006), bore witness to the our. Then most of us would honour they could retain after the only player in history in ners sidelining many medal during the past few years. scale of our victory. They have been happy.” retirement. any sport to have represented winners of the SA Games. If Volleyball was introduced to filled the stadium to the very “If the organizers had a national team for an you award some one for par- Sri Lanka in 1916. The Sri brim. There cheers are still decided that the SA Games (Pic by Jude Denzil unprecedented 20 years, said ticipation you should analyse Lanka women’s team won a echoing in our ears. Those victories were not worth rec- Pathiraja)

A Sri Lankan witness recalls the darkest moment in Olympic history ‘I won’t forget Ester’s tears’ by Reemus Fernando couples could have a gala time on the The 1972 Munich Olympics, which dancing floor. I went to the party with — Sunil Gunawardena was the XX games of the modern two of my Israeli friends. I had met Olympiad was marred by the killing of Easter (Roth) a couple of times at inter- their rooms some fate of the hostages. She said that she 11 Israeli athletes in the athletes’ vil- national meets. She was competing in Israeli wrestlers would have made up her mind had he lage on the 11th day of the Games on the 100 meters. She was there with her (the coach of the been already dead. She said that it was September 5. The darkest moment in boy friend. After the party we returned team and unbearable as she couldn’t do anything Olympic history which is known as the to the village at around 10.00 pm,” one wrestler) had to save him.” Munich massacre was executed by recalls Gunawardena. retaliated. One had Later, the hostages perished in the eight members (some reports say nine) “Some were fast asleep when we fought back stab- cross fire between the guerillas and the of the Black September guerrilla heard a warning asking everyone to lie bing one intruder German police marksmen at the group. under their beds. We were asked to lie with a fruit knife. Furstenfeldbruck military airport. The inci- on the floor. I Their attempt had “The tragic incident shook the vil- dent which saw through helped several lage to the core. The deaths overshad- took place in the window, a Israeli sportsmen owed the grand event. Later, the bodies the heart of man wearing a Sunil Gunawardena now to escape. But the of the dead were brought to the stadi- the Olympic black mask guerrillas man- um and they were laid along the 100 village is still walking along aged to take nine hostages.” meter track for the Olympians to pay fresh in the the road. Black A few hours after the terrorist their last respects,” concluded a rather memories of September had intrusion, Gunawardena was to witness heavy hearted Gunawardena who could Olympians entered the vil- one of the saddest moments in his ath- have returned to Sri Lanka with fond who had first lage,” letic career as the innocent athletes memories of his record breaking feat hand experi- explained were lead out like sheep to the sheerer. in the 200 meters (SL), if not for the ence of the Gunawardena. “The sportsmen were led in a line tragedy. Sunil Gunawardena then tragedy. The guarded by guerrillas. They were wear- Gunawardena was one of the three Former International ing their blazers and shorts. I was wit- athletes who represented the country 21.31 seconds in the 200 meters to estab- national 100 meters champion Sunil Olympic Committee’s refusal to admit a nessing the seen and Easter was in in Munich Olympics. While S. L. B. lish a new Sri Lanka record which Gunawardena, who was one of the four Palestinian team had angered the Black tears. She was unharmed as it was only Rosa and W. Wimaladasa represented would last for 18 long years. Sri Lankan participants in Munich was September guerrilla group who took the male athletes who were the target Sri Lanka in athletics along with Incidentally, it was also the fastest tim- a witness. nine Israelis hostage demanding the of the terrorists. But her boy friend Gunawardena, D. B. Nadarajasingham ing recorded by an Asian in the 200 “As was customary, we were invited release of their colleagues held in was one of the hostages. I will never represented in rifle shooting. meters dash at the Munich Olympics. for a dance in the evening (September Israeli and German jails. forget the tears in Easters’ eyes and Although he couldn’t be among the 10). It was a fantastic evening where “When the guerrilla were entering what she said at that time sensing the medal winners, Gunawardena clocked (Tomorrow- the blackout that cost