The Hon. Amila Prasad

¶ 01 Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is an important amendment for Sri Lankan sport. Doping has two sides: deliberate use and inadvertent ingestion. For a country with limited Olympic success—only two Olympic medals in total, with just one in the last 25 years (Susanthika Jayasinghe)—we must invest far beyond the playing field. Today sport is decided as much in the laboratory as on the pitch: physics, mathematics, nutrition, and sports science shape world-class athletes.

¶ 02 Do our institutions get adequate resources? The delay in this Bill shows governmental inefficiency. Because of it, we lost chances to host international events, such as weightlifting and even a Jiu-Jitsu tournament expected to bring 500 competitors—lost foreign exchange and prestige.

¶ 03 While months-long legislative processes are cited as normal, efficiency is possible when politically convenient—like swiftly lifting bans to allow certain individuals to contest local elections. If we can act fast there, we can act fast to safeguard sport.

¶ 04 We appointed a Deputy Minister of Sports reputed as a knowledgeable athlete. People expect results beyond a Rs. 10,000 stipend. To reach Olympic level, we need a dedicated Sports University with multiple faculties and an attached school, selecting talented youth, educating them holistically, and producing graduates who are elite athletes—supported by sports scientists and specialists, not stipends alone.

¶ 05 We lack an in-country accredited anti-doping lab; samples go to India or Singapore, incurring high costs and delays. Establish a domestic lab network and restructure institutions to use existing expertise.

¶ 06 At school level, coaches need structured certification—Level 1, 2, 3—similar to ICC coaching pathways. Prevent coaches from pushing banned substances—if a prohibited substance appears due to a coach’s advice, sanction the coach, not only the athlete.

¶ 07 Teen talents fade by their mid-20s due to banned substances and poor science-based training. Invest in biomechanics, technique, acceleration profiles, and injury prevention; use high-speed camera analytics we already own by empowering officers and removing bottlenecks.

¶ 08 Finally, fund officials adequately. Handouts of Rs. 10,000 or 5,000 won’t deliver medals. If we aim for Olympic success in the coming decade, change course now.

¶ 09 Thank you.