Minister of Sport Mahindananda Aluthgamage, has decided to pay special allowances to highly talented sportsmen and women who are currently selected to the national pool.

At present there are 22 national squads under training focusing the forthcoming South Asian Games. The top athletes who are already in the national pool are paying them an allowance. In addition to these allowances, the Ministry of Sports has also made arrangements to support them with and other needs for sportsmen and women who are selected represent the country at the South Asian Games.

At the South Asian Games 22 sports disciplines are to be contested by the SA countries. The competitors who perform well at the Games will receive special allowances ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 35,000.

The Ministry of Sports states that already it has allocated Rs. 25 million rupees for the infrastructure facilities requested by all sports governing bodies aiming the South Asian Games. Further it states that all allowances will be increased after considering the improvements to made by them to reach the qualifying standards.

The present national pools consist of  612 sportsmen and women and this will be pruned down to 417 by January 31, 2013.

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)