Sri Lanka: Galle Stadium cannot be reserved for one sport (13 Aug 1998)

13 August 1998

Galle Stadium cannot be reserved for one sport, says GDFA

By MP Liyanage

The Galle esplanade which is now called the Galle International Cricket Stadium is a common asset of the citizens of Galle and as such, it cannot be reserved for a particular sport or game, group of people or an institution or organisation, says the Galle District Football Association (GDFA) in a letter addressed to the Mayor of Galle Lionel Premasiri.

The GDFA founded in 1912, is one of the oldest sports associations in Galle. It has a membership of 16 permanently soccer playing clubs and another 36 sports clubs at Grama Niladari Divisional level in the district. The letter signed by GDFA President Thilina Panditharatna further states that non one has nay right, legal or ethical, to limit the Galle grounds only for Cricket imposing a restriction on other games including soccer by merely changing the nameboard of the ground to read as "Galle International Cricket Stadium" or by publishing newspaper supplements.

The GDFA has also mentioned that it was a great injustice caused to the public of Galle to limit the Galle esplanade only for Cricket as it has been the only public venue in Galle the people had for their physical, sports and other recreational activities for the past 100 years.

The association further draws the attention of the Mayor over number of historical incidents in the field of Soccer in Galle to prove that the GDFA has utilised the Galle esplanade for nearly a hundred years and demands the removal of the ban imposed on Football and other games at the Galle ground.

Our association is not against Cricket. But we vehemently oppose the decision in banning the playing of Soccer and other games at the ground thereby allowing cricket only to be played there, states the letter.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)