A tour party of 12 Sri Lankan boys and girls who represented the country at Sunday’s concluded Australian Junior International Badminton Tournament, did so after paying as much as Rs.186,000 each to make the tour, an investigation by Ceylon Today has revealed.
Two of the players, Sachin Dias and Bhuvaneka Dullewa won a gold medal at the Under-19 Doubles.
Six boys and six girls made up the contingent that also had three officials whose passages were also funded by the players in total violation of an Education Ministry directive that debarred anyone from accepting money from players or their parents which had been taking place for years unchecked.
Not all of the 12 players who made the tour were the best as some of the most capable players were left behind as they or their parents were unable to provide the funds to make the tour.
Each player was asked to pocket out Rs. 96,300 for the air ticket, Rs. 16,600 as visa fees, Rs. 25,000 for food and Rs. 26,000 for lodging in Ballarat, Australia where the three-day event took place.
In addition each player was asked to dole out a further Rs. 23,300 to meet the expenses of three officials that accompanied the players.
In Australia the girls were housed in an apartment while the boys were booked into a motel. The boys however put up in the motel for one day and opted to move to a place closer to where the girls were lodged at the request of officials to make meal preparations more convenient.
While checking out of the motel one of the boys had packed a hair-dryer from his room into his baggage and had been told by the motel management to return the item.
Director of Sports and Physical Education at the Ministry of Education BA Abeyratne told Ceylon Today that he had granted approval for the tour but was not aware of the money that was collected from parents.
“I have not heard about money being collected from the parents. But if there is a complaint made to me I will conduct an inquiry and take action,” assured Abeyratne.
But analysts are skeptical that action will ever be taken to bring the culprits to book as several tours in the past had also been undertaken with funds made available by parents while deserving players were left behind unable to pay for their passage and that of accompanying officials.
