The head of the Sri Lankan arm of the Norwegian headquartered NGO ‘Right of Play’ Prema Pinnawela in response to the news item ‘3500 Norwegian Footballs detained by Customs’, which appeared in The Island of 29/4/2008 says "It misleads. The donation is from Adidas, Germany's world famous sports manufacturer who has donated balls to all other RTP projects in the world and not from the Norwegians.

"We are an INGO conducting sports programs essentially assisting affected children and community services of voluntary project coordinators. Ours is one of 23 countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East involved in humanitarian efforts in building capacity of children, youth and community through sports and play activity. We are conducting our programs in Hambantota since February 2007.

Our registration with the government of Sri Lanka (Registration No: FL - 110804 date 14th July 2006) as an INGO supported the programmes of the Government and Southern Provincial Council and the Hambantota District, to alleviate the trauma and disillusionment caused by the tsunami catastrophe. The benefits accrued in these programs can be seen where our partners, the Ministry of Education Southern Provincial Council, Ministry of Sports, CCF, Sarvodaya and EMDH have been helped in the holistic development of the affected communities, schools, children, youth and sports leagues in Southern Province and Hambantota District being key beneficiaries.

Being a non profit organization, we function with the support of Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Education, District Secretariat and donors such as UNICEF and others. One of the donors Adidas AG of Germany recently donated 3,500 red size 5, footballs for distribution to our beneficiaries. The consignment had been inadvertently sent by Adidas AG to the address of Right of Play Sri Lanka at 39/1, Edmontan Road, Colombo 5 in January 2008 and now we are required to pay VAT and other charges and a heavy demurrage.

We tried our utmost to seek exemptions for duty and demurrage with support of recommendations made by Government authorities, District Secretaries of Matara, Hambantota and other key ministries as we have no funds to meet such a heavy cost. These balls will be used solely for the purpose of sports and play activity of these beneficiaries from Southern Province. The balls are donations, are not for resale and have no resale value. Once cleared the consignment is to be distributed to Ministry of Education, Sports of Southern Provincial Council, as well as communities in Hambantota under patronage of District Secretaries and to our partners Sarvodaya and CCF.

Having had no positive response to lessen costs, tax duty, demurrage etc and as we appealed to the Minister of Sports to assist by clearing as Ministry will be able to distribute a large quantity for the schools clubs etc. Hopefully once cleared we will seek to secure part of balls for distribution to schools children partners as desired.

Right of Play is a Norwegian headquartered organisation and "donations" to all its branches worldwide are made in effect through and with the full knowledge of the Norwegian office. If the donation was made directly from Adidas to RTP Sri Lanka without any reference to RTP International, as Mr. Pinnawela claims, then there was no need for him to seek the assistance of Nina Valentic of RTP International to trace the whereabouts of the footballs.

Donations are in effect is given to Right of Play International which channels it to its branches in 23 countries. It was in this context that the consignment was referred to as "3,500 Norwegian Footballs". There was no malice or insinuation intended in the, use of such journalistic terminology.

Mr. Pinnawela's claim of delayed knowledge of the arrival of the footballs at le Colombo Port is hard to believe considering the rapid pace at which technology continues to advance. Going by his version of the donation being direct from Adidas Germany to RTP Sri Lanka he knew very well that the footballs were on its way. And if he did not vigorously and speedily trace the whereabouts of the consignment then Mr. Pinnawela cannot blame anyone but himself.

"Sky Venus", the vessel carrying the 20 foot container (Number-YMLU 2996645) containing the 3500 footballs left the port of Rotterdam on December 12,2007 and reached the Colombo Port on 19/1/2008. The 3500 quality footballs with a market value of around Rs. 19 million is yet to be cleared, despite Mr. Pinnawela approaching several government institutions and departments in Hambantota and Matara, where according to him the footballs would be distributed.

Mr. Pinnawela, knows very well that it was the exclusive report in The Island, that jolted the Sports Ministry into immediately agreeing to his request, for the ministry to clear the goods by paying over one million rupees in customs duties and demurrage (the figure keeps increasing by the day) on behalf of Right of Play.