Politicians to blame for decline in sports - Ranatunga

'I am here because I played cricket. I got elected into politics because I was a cricketer. I was given a vote because the people trusted me' - Arjuna Ranatunga © Getty Images

Arjuna Ranatunga, former Sri Lanka captain turned politician, blamed successive governments for the sad decline of sports in this country.

"Sometimes I feel that governments don't identify Sports and Youth Affairs as an important Ministry. Next to Finance and Health, Sports is the most important Ministry, more than the others. Governments have not given a lot of thought to sports and thereby not appointed proper persons to run it," said Ranatunga.

"Sport has given this country a lot of pride, a lot of identification. Unfortunately for the last 10 years it has been on the decline, mainly because of the people who have handled sports.

"If you go to England or any other country and ask who the President of Sri Lanka is, no one knows. You ask who the Prime Minister is, a lot of people will not know. But if you ask who [Muttiah] Muralitharan or Sanath Jayasuriya or Susanthika Jayasinghe is, everyone knows," he said.

Ranatunga was of the opinion that whatever was said and done Sri Lanka was a successful sporting nation when Mrs Chandrika Kumaratunga was President and S.B. Dissanayake, the Sports Minister.

"We won a cricket World Cup and a lot of other tournaments, we excelled in athletics winning silver and bronze medals in world athletics and at Olympics, we won something in netball also and in other sports. You take the last six years and we have been on the decline in every sport," said Ranatunga.

"It is because of cricket that we are surviving. You take players like Mahela [Jayawardene], [Tillakaratne] Dilshan, [Chaminda] Vaas, Dilhara [Fernando], [Nuwan] Zoysa, they played and matured with us ten years ago. You take this lot out and we are going to get into a major mess. Even the officials don't realize it because we are still winning matches. When we get into a vacuum that is the time they'll open their eyes. It will be far too late by then. It will take another 4-5 years to get back to a proper level of cricket after the World Cup."

Ranatunga is unhappy that nothing is being done even by the present government to resurrect sports from its present decline. "I have taken a decision not to get involved in the World Cup after we were made to look fools especially after President [Mahinda Rajapaksa] wanted us to get involved in cricket administration by promising to put five cricketers in the interim committee but nothing happened.

"The President said he did not want any minister to get involved in cricket. So I resigned from my portfolio [as Deputy Minister of Tourism] for him to be very comfortable. But nothing has happened," he said.

Despite his father (Reggie Ranatunga) being a politician, many expected Ranatunga to pursue the line on cricket after he ended a distinguished career as a cricketer in August 2000 at the age of 36. But he admits he was drawn into the world of politics with a vision that he could contribute something to sports.

"I never liked politics, I hated it. I hated politicians because I knew that they were the ones who were ruining the country," said Ranatunga. "I was out for some time doing my business [P&A Brokers], doing commentaries and all sorts of things when suddenly Madam [the former President] invited me to join her and do something for sports. I thought this was an opportunity for me to get involved in sports and put things right."

Ranatunga joined the Peoples Alliance on an understanding with the President that he would be given the ministry for sports. But it eventually did not work out that way. He was finally given a mere deputy minister's post in the Tourism Ministry.

"I have come to realize now that in this country you need to have power or money to succeed. Even if you are a minister, a prime minister or president if you don't have money you cannot do anything in this country. That is a fact and it is very unfortunate. If you want to get into anything you need money. Even the top people will keep their mouths shut if you have money. You can do the worst things in this world and still survive if you have money. It's a wrong concept but it is the truth," Ranatunga stated.

Ranatunga's and Sri Lanka's greatest moment © Getty Images

"I was in the Opposition for two years. Even in those two years I was very concerned about sports, not only cricket. When I was in parliament for four years I never missed the consultative committee for sports meetings. I took up issues and created issues. There were ministers and officials who hated to see my face because they felt that I created 90 percent of the issues in the committee. I went for these meetings well prepared with files, facts and issues," he said.

Ranatunga said he owed it to his supporters for electing him as a member of parliament on two successive occasions. "I am here because I played cricket. I got elected into politics because I was a cricketer. I was given a vote because the people trusted me. A lot of UNPers also voted for me, a lot of people who never went to the polling stations voted for me because they had faith in me. I don't want to lose their trust. I think I am doing my duty by trying to put things right," said Ranatunga.

"Whenever I can I still do my little for cricket. I go to India to do cricket commentaries. I go to schools and factories in England and India and address them on leadership and team work. Whatever I do here I do it free. But when I go abroad I get a fee," stated Ranatunga.

After quitting his Ministry portfolio last July, Ranatunga said he had a lot of time on his hands. "Whenever some of the cricketers need my help I have gone and helped them out in their batting or bowling. Unofficially I go and work with them. I am always available to the cricketers."