The Ministry of Education imposed what a top sports official termed as a temporary ban on all martial arts sport tournaments yesterday following the death of D. S. Senanayake College Wushuite Hasanka Jayawickrama in the ring, a press release said yesterday.

D.S. Senanayake College Wushuite Hasanka Jayawickrama died after receiving injuries during a Wushu bout last week. The tournament was conducted by the Schools Association affiliated to both the Ministry of Education and the Sri Lanka Wushu Federation.

17-year-old Pasidu Hasanka Jayawickrama was the second Wushuite to die since last November due to injuries suffered during Wushu competitions.

Training and hosting tournaments of combat sports of six Schools Associations affiliated to Ministry of Education were banned till further notice, a press release issued by the Ministry of Education said.

The Ministry press release listed Wushu, Karate, Taekwondo, Boxing, Judo and Wrestling as the combat sports that should stop conducting training and tournaments.

The Ministry of Education has taken the decision after taking into consideration the deaths of two school Wushuites in the last six months.

However L. K. Jayaweera, the Director of Sports of the Ministry of Education said that no decision has been taken to stop combat sports permanently at school level.

"We have not taken any decision to stop combat sports permanently. We are writing to all combat sports bodies only to stop all tournaments until further notice," Jayaweera told The Island.

"That will be until the authorities involved with these sports meet with the education authorities to discuss the ways of conducting tournaments without risks to the lives of contestants," he said.