GALLE, Sri Lanka: Laureus World Sports Academy member and England cricket legend Sir Ian Botham received a hero’s welcome from hundreds of excited children as he paid an emotional return to the Galle area of Sri Lanka, ahead of the fifth anniversary of the 2004 tsunami disaster.
Botham had visited Galle shortly after the tsunami struck on Dec. 26, 2004, to see the damage for himself and gauge what the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation could do to help. As a result of his visit, Laureus has been providing support to the Seenigama Sport for Life project and using sport to rebuild community spirit in the area.
As he took part in training sessions with the children at the project, Botham recalled the events of five years ago. He said: “Like everyone else, I watched with horror the tsunami disaster on TV. I wanted to come and see for myself, but nothing prepared me for what I found. I had been to Galle before when I was covering cricket and stayed at a house just along the beach - it wasn’t there any more. I can still recall the clock on the old Test ground in Galle frozen at ‘9.25am’ on Dec. 26.
“Once the immediate relief effort was over, it was clear to me that sport could play an important part in giving people a sense of hope. At my suggestion Laureus decided to fund a sports coordinator for five villages around Peraliya and Seenigama to channel the energies of the children into competition, and to take their minds off their difficult living conditions.
“The Seenigama Sport for Life project now involves boys and girls, aged from six upwards, taking part in inter-village sports leagues with matches and training sessions. Sport as we know can foster togetherness and team spirit, and today, coming back, I have seen for myself the fruit of those endeavours and it’s heart-warming and very, very emotional,” added Sir Ian.
Having specially flown to Sri Lanka from South Africa, where he is commentating for Sky TV on the England cricket tour, Botham took part in a cricket coaching session, then presented the prizes at an under 13 match between Seenigama Sri Wimala Buddhi and Sri Sumangala College.
