No More Wild Cards for Olympics

Olympic Chef de Mission, Chandana Liyanage, has announced that Sri Lanka will no longer receive wild cards or tripartite invitations. Instead, the focus should be solely on securing direct qualifications for the Olympics.

During a press conference held at the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka yesterday, Liyanage emphasised that Sri Lanka is not among the 17 Asian countries ,receiving tripartite invitations, commonly known as Wild Cards.

The 15-member contingent at the Olympic Games includes athletes Tharushi Karunarathne (800m), Dilhani Lekamge (Javelin Throw), Aruna Darshana (400m), Viren Neththasinghe (Badminton), Kyle Abeysinghe (Swimming), and Ganga Senevirathne (Swimming).

Lekamge and Neththasinghe will proudly carry the Sri Lankan Flag during the opening ceremony.

Maxwell de Silva, NOC Secretary General, confirmed that all five coaches for the six athletes will be part of the team, along with four officials, making a total of fifteen.

Additionally top NOCSL officials, including de Silva and President Suresh Subramaniam, the Minister of Sports, and the Director-General of the Department of Sports Development, will also join the delegation.

Meanwhile, de Silva urged Saman Kumara Gunawardana, Secretary of Sri Lanka Athletics, to work towards qualifying at least 20 athletes for the next Olympic Games. President Subramaniam acknowledged that Olympic qualification is increasingly challenging but, celebrated Sri Lanka’s achievement of securing four direct qualifications this year, compared to three the previous year.

“I am thrilled to lead our talented athletes to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This is a momentous occasion for our nation, showcasing our commitment to excellence in sports on the world stage. Our athletes have trained tirelessly, embodying the spirit of perseverance and dedication. We are confident in their ability to make Sri Lanka proud, inspiring future generations,” said the Chef de Mission.