Asian Games: Men’s squash team for Asian Games

A last ditch effort to send a team for the Asian Games saw light when the Sri Lanka Squash Federation (SLSF) officials campaigned vigorously for allocation of slots for its players. The matter was pursued with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka, following the NOC rejection to accommodate squash players due to delayed submission of nominations.
The Squash Federation will now send a three member men’s team with a manager and a coach. The team comprises of the three top ranked players in Navin Samarasinghe, Gihan Suwaris and Binura Jayasuriya while Tissa Jayasuriya will be the manager.
According to an NOC official, the SLSF had contacted the Asian Squash Federation (ASF) and managed to persuade them to give Sri Lanka the opportunity to field a squash team. This request met with success and Sri Lanka will now send a men’s team only.
However, as no financial assistance was allotted by the NOC for squash, the players have been asked to source their own funds for travel. The issue arose due to the delay of the SLSF to send in the names before the closing date that fell on June 30.