The Foundation of Goodness (FoG) signed a memorandum with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) to harness and enhance training and development of rural talent. The signing took place at the Olympic House recently, while former cricket stars Muttiah Muralithran, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena with FOG founder and Chief Trustee Kushil Gunasekara and NOC senior officials were present on this historic occasion.
FOG Founder and Chief Trustee Kushil Gunasekara said for the first time this type of MOU has been signed with NOC. “I think this is a good start and hope to continue this project more successfully. FOG is doing various types of social activities for sports development. This time we are very keen to associate with the NOC and its President Suresh Subramanium came to the Seenigama Village for observation and was very happy with our activities. The FoG, through their ‘Unconditional Compassion’ with a holistic approach to bridge the gap between the urban and rural sectors in Sri Lanka, has empowered over 35000 lives from more than 200 villages free of cost”, said Kushil Gunasekara who was a former Ananda cricketer as well as a former Sri Lanka cricket interim Committee member. We have already produced National-level cricketers and organising Murali Cup cricket tournament to bring about peace in the Northern and Southern areas and Donation of cricket gear for needy rural schools.
The FoG’s sports academy in Seenigama was developed in post-tsunami with the involvement of our cricketing legends in the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan, Russel Arnold, Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara along with Ashan Malasekera, Rohan Iriyagolla, Pratheepan Karunagaran who are the trustees for the founder Kushil Gunasekera.“I’m really pleased and delighted that we were able to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Olympic Committee which is a landmark achievement.
In future our plan is to get services from foreign coaches to develop games like Badminton, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, Football to focus for Olympics. Actually, the NOC is always involved in this type of sports development programmes and now they are willing to provide services to the Seenigama Village for their activities. We have already got the services of German TT coach last week to conduct a successful coaching camp for three days at Seenigama. We invited Hikkaduwa, Ambalangoda area TT players and it was a successful coaching camp. Germany’s former National coach Martin Adomeit was highly impressed by this programme and he thanked to the FOG and NOC, added Kushill Gunaekara.
“This will give us lot of encouragement, confidence and belief that we can do better, hopefully will take the sports arena in to another level in the years to come with the backing of the NOC. Meanwhile, President of the NOC Suresh Subramaniam said, “Sports is the only thing that does not have any barriers such as caste, creed or race. NOC is very happy to join hands with legends like Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara who had brought Sri Lanka great pride and honour.“The hard work done by Kushil and Ashan convinced me in joining hands with FOG, We can pursue the goal that the NOC had after the new committee took over this year to produce Olympic medalists in the future.“Therefore, both NOC and FoG will work together on this mission for the betterment of Sri Lankan sports.”
Meanwhile, Kumar Sangakkara said, “We are very grateful to Suresh Subramaniam, Secretary Maxwell De Silva, Vice President Asanga Seneviratne and the rest of the National Olympic Committee officials to having the faith that the Foundation of Goodness can deliver on the ideas that was founded upon, bridging the gap between urban and rural youth of Sri Lanka and to ensure that the rural youth of all parts of Sri Lanka are given the best facilities and opportunities to further the talents to become productive members of society.”
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