President Directs Sports Ministry to Develop Plans to Produce International-Level Athletes and Build a Healthier Nation

Newswire reports that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met Sports Ministry officials at the Presidential Secretariat on the morning of October 29 to discuss proposals for the ministry’s 2027 budget. Newsfirst and Ada Derana also report that the president directed officials to plan for international-level athletes and broader promotion of sport.

Newswire reports that Dissanayake identified non-communicable diseases as a major healthcare challenge and said sport and physical activity could help address it. He called for changes in public attitudes to encourage active, healthy lifestyles, and said walking tracks built around the country were not being used enough in some areas.

Newswire says the president called for an accurate, up-to-date national database of sports grounds, walking tracks and indoor stadiums to support planning. Among the 2027 proposals discussed were a National High-Performance Centre, a 400-metre synthetic running track in Anuradhapura, work to address shortcomings at Diyagama International Stadium, and improvements to Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

Newswire reports that the proposals also included joint research on sport and exercise by sports medicine institutes and universities. The meeting reviewed the progress and future plans of programs run by the National Youth Services Council and the National Youth Corps.