We have come a long way since the early days from being constant under dogs to now being considered as serious contenders in the Asian region. Our dream was to get a Sri Lankan boxer qualified for Olympics by 2008, which we achieved through Anuruddha Ratnayake who was ranked fifth in the world at the AIBA World Championships in Chicago 2007 (First time in 40 years)
The past five years has been a great leap for boxing in Sri Lanka but personally I am not fulfilled. The quest will continue till an Olympic medal is achieved.
What are the main achievements you have had as the president of Sri Lanka’s boxing over the past five years?
When I first took over boxing we were no where on the international boxing map with limited exposure & even more limited funding. Having taken over the reigns in 2004, I brought in a sense of corporate professionalism into the sport & had a clear focused development strategy. I backed this through a strong funding platform involving some of the corporate heavy weights in Sri Lanka who supported me in pursuing my vision.
Our first major achievement was the winning of four silver medals at the SAF Games in Islamabad 200four & we never looked back since. Over the years we have produced medal winners at prestigious events such as the Commonwealth Championships (two Bronze medals won by Harsha Kumara & Kamal Sameera) & the prestigious Kings Cup (Silver by Manju Wanniarachchi & Bronze by T.M.B. Tennakoon). There were also other medals that came our way through K. Alexander (Silver at FAJR Tournament in Iran), Kamal Sameera (Bronze at the Green Hill Championship, Karachchi) & Manju Wanniarachchi (Bronze at the Olympic Qualifiers in Kazhakstan)
Another special achievement during this period was the first ever gold medal by a Sri Lankan woman boxer (Anusha Kodituwakku) at the fourth Asian Women’s Boxing Championships in Vietnam in 2006. Our prowess in womens boxing was further consolidated this year with the achievement of 3 bronze medals at the recently concluded Asian Womens Boxing Championships in Guwahati (won by Anusha Kodituwakku, Nilmini Jayasinghe & A. Nilanthi)
However the crowning glory within our tenure was attained at the AIBA World Championships in Chicago in 2007, when Anuruddha Ratnayake fought his way to the ranking of 5th in the world, thereby earning a passage to the Beijing Olympics 2008
The ABA had a focused marketing strategy for positioning Anuruddha Ratnayake during the build up for the Olympics. What was the thinking behind this?
Anuruddha qualified for the Olympics at the biggest Amateur Boxing Championship in the world, the AIBA World Championship in Chicago 2007. He was ranked among the top eight boxers in the world, which gave him a realistic chance of winning a medal in Beijing.
There were two main objectives behind the ‘Go for the Gold’ campaign. First & foremost was to give Anuruddha the much needed boost to take on the best in the world. We wanted the entire country to rally around Anuruddha to be a part of this unique experience. We also used this opportunity to position boxing in Sri Lanka among the masses in our country. The positioning of a sport plays a big part in the mass appeal it commands & this in turn plays an important role in the development strategy of the sport.
I feel we were successful in achieving both these objectives, through the ‘Go for the Gold’ campaign. It was unfortunate that Anuruddha couldn’t secure a medal in Beijing. But then anyone who has done sports will well understand that ups and downs are all part of the game. We are keen to build on the legacy of Anuruddha and continue to position the sport in Sri Lanka through a focused marketing and branding strategy in the future.
There was much criticism against the ABA & you following Anuruddha’s first round exit in Beijing. What was your reaction to this?
It is easy to sit back and criticize when things don’t go according to plan. The people who applaud you when you win are the very same ones who vilify you when you lose. This is a typical Sri Lankan state of mind.
The most important quality that we need to foster in our Sri Lankans is to encourage those who dare to defy the odds & who are not afraid to fail in their attempt to do so. We are capable of great things as a nation but we are scared to go outside our comfort zones and challenge the status quo. This restricts us from being the best we can be. We knew that Anuruddha was going against the odds in Beijing but that did not mean we were going to Beijing with an ‘underdog’ mindset
The teams I lead are geared to take things ‘come what may’ and never back down from a challenge. We don’t win every time but we give ourselves the best chance of doing so by putting our best step forward. I believe that this is something sports administrators in our country need to take a cue from. Never instill doubt in the mind of the sportsman. Encourage the heart and take the fear off from your cadres. Don’t be afraid to fail and despite the odds, don’t be ashamed to try. If you persevere hard enough, one day you will prevail!
Unfortunately, my role in the event was misinterpreted by some, since I was involved in the administration and organizing of this event. Personally I had absolutely no involvement in selection of awards recipients. My involvement with the event was restricted to the co-ordination of the Awards Ceremony which was held at the BMICH. On principle I have never got involved in selection matters right through out my career as a sports administrator. I believe that the selectors must be given absolute autonomy in carrying out their task.
Tell us about your involvement with AIBA (World Administrative Body for Administration of Amateur Boxing) and how this has contributed for the development of boxing in Sri Lanka?
I have been serving as the secretary cum board member of the Strategic Business Commission of AIBA since September 2007. My presence in the world body has played an instrumental role in gaining visibility for Sri Lanka on a global platform in boxing administration. It has also helped our local ABA to learn from international best practices and align with AIBA on a strategic level.
Being a member of the strategic commission of AIBA has also enabled me to build ties with the boxing super powers in the world, engaging their support for the development of boxing in Sri Lanka. The recently concluded Sri Lanka-Moscow duel scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in October was a result of my acquaintance with Vladimir Surkov, Executive Director of the Russian Federation who sits on the same board as me at AIBA.
After all that you have done for the countries boxing basically running the show alone, what will happen to Sri Lankan boxing after Dian Gomes? Do you have a succession plan in place?
A common reason why most organizations (including sports administrations) fail is due to lack of succession planning. In order to be sustainable over the long run, it is important to look into all possible contingencies and identify a strong second string that will be able to keep up the momentum.
From day one I have looked at bringing youth into the ABA administration and have spent time grooming them to take up bigger responsibilities sometime in the future. Today I have a strong set of individuals who are not only young but also geared up with international exposure and experience and are ‘battle hardened’ enough to carry the baton in my absence as the ABA works its way towards a medal in London 2012. Having laid the platform, I intend to step down from the mantle of ABA presidency in April 2009, giving way to former champion boxer & Trinity Lion, Udeni Kiridena to take over the reigns. I will continue to serve on the ex-co of the ABA assisting with the funding strategy and talent development
We hear a lot about political interventions in sports administration in Sri Lanka. How has this affected the sport of boxing?
I am glad to say that we have the absolute backing from the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee in carrying out our endeavors. We have always maintained the highest level of integrity and transparency in our dealings whether it is our selection policies or our annual financials.
The higher administration has respected this professionalism and in turn has made no attempt whatsoever to influence the activities of the ABA. In fact the Minister of Sports, Hon. Gamini Lokuge has been personally supportive of the ABA in our attempts to help in the cause of the uplift of the sport in Sri Lanka.
There is much speculation that you are vying for the post of NOC President. Is there any truth to it?
I have never been driven by power and positions; they have come my way during my career naturally and I have never had to pursue them. The NOC presidency is in the able hands of Hemasiri Fernando, a respected stalwart in sports administration with a proven track record spanning many years at international level
In fact I was looking to resign from the NOC a few months back due to time constraints from my corporate commitments. However Hemasiri insisted that I continue till the end of my term (till next March) and support him with certain initiatives which we ventured out together. I have decided to honor this request, and continue in the role of VP helping the NOC to further elevate itself to be a high quality service provider to the sporting bodies in our country.
Unfortunately the role turned out to be an extremely demanding one in terms of time, where meetings were held several times a week. I found it hard to do justice to the role entrusted in me as it was just not possible to dedicate that time especially considering my demanding corporate schedule. This was the only reason why I took a back seat from cricket administration.
I have known Arjuna, Sidath & most of the other IC members personally for over 20 years. I still maintain extremely strong ties with all parties involved & my best wishes are always with the interim committee in carrying out their future endeavors taking Sri Lanka Cricket to even further standards in the future
In your opinion, what are the main issues hindering the development of sports in Sri Lanka?
Having witnessed the past three Olympic Games in Athens, Sydney & Beijing, I see a yawning gap between the standards of our own athletes compared to their counterparts from USA, China & other sporting super powers. It is not due to lack of talent & ability but mainly due to lack of funding & focus. We do not have proper direction & a unified vision for sports development in Sri Lanka.
It is unfortunate that a majority of our sports administrators are more interested in positions, foreign tours & playing petty political games rather than look at the bigger picture of developing sport. We need to unconditionally align ourselves the vision of attaining that ‘Gold for Sri Lanka’ putting country before self, setting aside petty politics which has ruined most sports in our country.
We need credible leaders who have the ability to drive long term development projects without looking at mere short term wins to secure their voting bases. The NOC has a part to play in putting together a strategy in order to enable a shared vision among the sporting bodies in Sri Lanka. Whilst appreciating the higher sporting authorities for the efforts they are making on these fronts, it must be said that we are still a long way away from our contemporaries from other parts of the world. We need to get this in place soon or else we will continue to be ‘also rans’ in the foreseeable future
The whole sporting circuit has made huge leaps with many athletes turning professional in order to compete. Professionalizing of sports. Do you think it’s a viable option for Sri Lanka?
The transition of a sport from amateur to professional level depends on its mass appeal which transcends into commercial value. Countries like India have the volumes to substantiate high investments in sports such as cricket, hockey & athletics. The same could be said of the EU region & its investment into Football which enjoys mass appeal across that region. Sports like basketball & boxing thrives at a professional level in countries like the USA, where there is mass scale following for these sports.
Currently in Sri Lanka, cricket is the only sport that enjoys this status both locally & internationally. It is a passion that is shared by the length & breadth of our country which makes it an attractive vehicle for businesses to communicate their brand positioning to the mass market.
Most other sports have selective following which is not supported by the volumes required to make it a commercially attractive commodity for sponsors. Whilst these sports may drive commercial value within these selective sub segments, it just does not have enough mass appeal to derive any substantial appeal on a mass scale. In this light, small countries like Sri Lanka will find it difficult to professionalize these sports in a substantial manner.
Does Dian Gomes have a personal agenda through sports administration?
The only personal agenda I have through sports administration is to have the satisfaction of knowing that I played a part in making a difference in the sport I love. In addition to the medals and accolades, I also yearn for the satisfaction of knowing that I played a role in empowering our Sri Lankan youth to achieve their dreams in sport and in life.
People have different aspirations in life. For me my lifelong dream is to see a Sri Lankan boxer win a medal at the Olympic Games. I will put all my efforts and resources into this quest and fight hard till the day that this dream is realized
Home
Newsletter