• Minister reacts to Yupun’s premature retirement
• Takes swipe at ex-Minister Harin

Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage has said that the Government cannot meet the financial demands made by now-retired sprinter Yupun Abeykoon following the star athlete’s stunning decision to step away from the track on Tuesday (21).

He explained that the ministry provided financial assistance to athletes purely based on performance through its Mission Olympics 2028 programme, adding that payments were determined according to current performance and rankings.

“We cannot make payments simply because a previous Minister had made a verbal commitment,” he said.

Speaking to the media, Gamage described Abeykoon as a talented athlete who had brought global recognition to Sri Lanka through his lofty achievements.

He said that the Sports Ministry had held several rounds of talks with Abeykoon in recent months, including meetings at his ministry and in Parliament, in an effort to resolve the matter amicably.

However, the Minister said that Abeykoon’s request differed from what his ministry could offer both in the short and long terms.

“Yupun is asking us to honour a verbal promise of $ 300,000 allegedly made by former Sports Minister Harin Fernando. We cannot make such payments offhand,” Gamage said.

Gamage added that the ministry would welcome Abeykoon back without any animosity towards him if he wished to continue representing Sri Lanka and said that the Government was prepared to provide support within its existing framework.

Reacting to claims that previous governments had provided houses and other benefits to athletes, the Minister acknowledged that such incentives had been granted in the past, particularly to Olympic athletes.

He said that the current Government was also working on a programme to reward future sporting achievements and noted that around Rs. 60 million in prize money had been distributed to athletes in the recent past.

Asked whether Abeykoon’s departure would be a loss for Sri Lanka, Gamage said that the decision to continue or retire rested solely with the athlete concerned.

“We want him to continue competing for the country, and we will do everything we can within our scope. But whether he continues or retires is ultimately his own call,” the Minister said.

Efforts made by The Sunday Morning Sports to contact former Minister Fernando proved futile as he was abroad.

Abeykoon, the first South Asian athlete to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 m, brought an end to one of the most remarkable careers in the region’s sprinting history last week.

In an emotional statement released on Tuesday, the 31-year-old athlete said that he was leaving the sport with no regrets, declaring that he owed nothing to his country but remained deeply grateful for the support and opportunities he had received throughout his journey.

He reflected on the significance of his achievements, particularly after becoming the first Sri Lankan and South Asian sprinter to enter the elite sub-10-second club. He stated that his success was not an individual accomplishment but a moment shared with the entire nation.

The sprinter paid tribute to his parents, former schools, the Army’s Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME) regiment, Sri Lanka Athletics, and his Italian coaching team. 

He also thanked the millions of Sri Lankan supporters who had followed his career and stood behind him throughout his journey.

Abeykoon retires as one of Sri Lanka’s finest track and field athletes. His defining moment came on 3 July 2022, when he clocked 9.96 seconds in the 100 m at La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, becoming the first and only South Asian sprinter to run under the 10-second mark.

Later that year, he achieved another landmark by winning a Bronze medal in the 100 m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, ending Sri Lanka’s long wait for a major athletics medal at the event.

He also represented Sri Lanka at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, becoming the first South Asian male sprinter in over three decades to compete in the Olympic 100 m event.

However, his retirement message also underscores the challenges faced by professional athletes in Sri Lanka.