Ceylon Tea Board has agreed to sponsor the Sri Lanka Netball team for Rs. 5 million. This is aimed at the World Cup Netball Championships to be held in Liverpool, England from July 12 to 21, 2019.
This is the second time that the Ceylon Tea Board is sponsoring a national team. Previously they sponsored the Sri Lanka cricket team where they kept aside Rs. 70 million.
Ceylon Tea Board joined netball as the co-clothing partner for the Asian Netball Championships in Singapore in the first week of September this year. They gave a sponsorship of Rs. 100.000 now as the Sri Lanka team emerged Asian champions they have decided to increase the sponsorship by Rs. 5 million.
According to the performances of the Sri Lanka netball team, the Ceylon Tea Board is willing to further increase their sponsorship.
The Tea Board requested an development plan and estimate to further increase the sponsorship.
Sixteen teams will participate at the World Netball Championships in England and Sri Lanka’s aim is to be amongst the top ten teams.
With this sponsorship the Sri Lanka team is hoping to visit two countries in order to gain foreign experience before the World Cup next year.
Navin Dissanayake, Minister of Plantation Industries and a former Sports Minister, held a felicitation ceremony to the Sri Lanka netball team at the Ceylon Tea Board where he said that there should be together and their performances should be excellent in order to gain victories. He stressed that he is sad that the same unity is missing in cricket. “That is the reason why cricket is in the losing side. The other being that due to certain appoints, the team had been divided.
“During the past there was a sports mafia in the Rajapaksa family and even I had to face such situations,” he said.
“I was Sports Minister for eight months and I have a thorough knowledge of netball and other sports and I bore the Sports Minister’s task amidst a lot of problems.
“In cricket too staged a tremendous fight and I had discussions with the ICC and took one and a half years to change it, for the past 11 years and they won it due to the efforts of the National Coach and the plan of the Netball Administration”, said Navin Dissanayake.
“We had to face innumerable problems on this journey. Except for the Sports Ministry we did not get any help. Even the sports gear for the players was able to get at the last moment.” Stressed Trixi Nanayakkara, President Sri Lanka Netball Federation
“The team members are from various parts of the country. They had to face such problems as transport and accommodation . There are two players who are over six feet tall and when they sleep they have to bend their knees. Due to their heights they cannot travel in normal transport.
“Prior to going to Singapore, we trained in Malawi for a practice session. We had a difficult time in obtaining air-tickets but in Malawi, a former Sri Lanka player Iresha Koralage, was of great help providing all facilities such as food and accommodation.
“The Ceylon Tea Board sponsorship was obtained due to the help of former Sri Lanka Netball President Tamara Dharmakeerthi Herath.
“With this win the Sri Lanka team is very strong. Our next target is being the No 10 in the World,” concluded Trixi Nanayakkara.
the sunday times
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