By Champika Fernando
Just 48 days left for the forthcoming 14th Asian track and field Championship which is the biggest sporting event to be held in our shores and the Amateur Athletic Association of Sri Lanka (AAA) secured a 1 million sponsorship from the National Insurance Co-operation in addition to a Rs. 3.5 million insurance coverage for all participants.

The 14th Asian track and filed Championship will be held from 9th to 12 August at the Sugathadasa International Stadium here in Colombo with aprticipation of over 750 athletes.

Speaking at a ceremony held on Thursday evening Chrishantha Perera, the Chairman, National Insurance Co-operation said that they were very much privileged to associate with the AAA in their untiring efforts to make this historic event a success and auuered their fullest support.

"This is not the first instance that the National Insurance Co-operation has given their helping hand to sports. We were a major sponsor at the South Asian Federation(SAF) games in 1991 held in Sri Lanka," added Perera.

The insurance cover will provide accident and hospitalisation coverage to all participants including athletes, officials and journalist.

Meanwhile Minister of Sports, Johnston Fernando said that over 75% of the preliminary requirements have been acquired and the rest is expected to achieve in early July.

Minister also said the renovation of the Sugathadasa 400m track and the relying of the 200m track is nearly in completion and will be ready before July 15.

" Everything is smoothly running at the moment. Hope all would support to make this great event a success," added Minister Fernando.

Responding to a question raised by the house on a issue on the track Minister said " What is more important for me is to conduct this event in the best possible way. So if I’m to look for the shortcomings of the offering of the tender, we will have to forget about the championship. So what’s the best thing to do. Is it to look for the shortcomings and forget about the event or else go ahead with the tournament forgetting all those short comings ?".

Minister also thanked the National Insurance Co-operation for coming forward to support this great event.

Sunil Jayaweera, the president of the AAA said that the Rupavahini Co-operation of Sri Lanka has brought the exclusive television rights of this championship.

He said that 50% of their earning will be given to the AAA and the rest will be the revenue of the Rupavahini Co-operation.

" Rupavahini Co-operation will have full and exclusive television rights with regard to the telecasting of this tournament both in and abroad,’ Jayaweera said.

However it is earlier reported that a Malaysian company was tentatively agreed to buy the exclusive televisions rights of the championship which had not worked off.

Meanwhile the president of the AAA Sunil Jayaweera said that they would have definitely save a huge amount of money if the marketing of the championship commenced few months ago.

" In fact if we work out some six months ago the sponsorship package from the Insurance Co-operation would have been high. But unfortunately it was not," lamented Jayaweera.

He also said that several local companies have shown their interest to come in as an official sponsora for this historical event and said that they could earn a substantial amount through marking.

" The money could be used for the development of sport, athletic in the country," he added.

Meanwhile Murice Nicholas, the secretary general of the Asian Amateur Athletic Association who is on a inspection tour to Sri Lanka added that all 44 country will field their best athletes for the championship as this would serve as a selection criteria of players for the Athletic World Cup to be held later this year.

" I am sure countries like Japan and China will field their best athletes for the championship," he said.

He also said that the participation of the Asian track and field championship will be considered a pre-requisite in selecting athletes for the Asian grand prix meets in future.

He also expressed his total confident that the tournament would be a real success if the their the AAA keep up to their good work.