REFUGEE

The International Athletics Association has refused a request to grant international certification the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium that is being built in Diyagama, Homagama due to the low quality of the artificial running track constructed in the Stadium.

It is learnt that the certification was refused since the track was constructed by a Malaysian company that did not have any previous experience in the respective field.

It has been revealed that the tender to constrict this track was handed over to the Malaysian

company by Basil Rajapaksa through one of his friends.

Although any artificial athletic track normally receives international certification two months after its construction, the track in Homagama has not received the international certification even six months after construction.

Two attempts made to secure the certification have so far failed.

The athletic track in questions is the second artificial track to be constructed in the country and it had cost Rs. 80 million.

However, the Stadium has been constructed with the help of military personnel and the engineering division. Since former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka supervised the construction of the Stadium, the government it is learnt is trying to blame him for not receiving the international certification.