Sri Lanka and Maldives look to promote women’s volleyball

By Susil Premalal

Sri Lanka and the Maldives claimed to have reached an agreement to conduct more women’s volleyball tournaments and training sessions between the two countries in the near future with the aim of uplifting women’s volleyball in the Maldives. 

The decision was taken during a discussion held at the Ministry of Sports in Colombo between Maldives Sports Minister Abdulla Rafiu and Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage. 

Minister Rafiu, who was a special guest at the recently concluded South Asian Super Cup Football tournament in Colombo is reported to have pointed out that women’s volleyball in his country has not developed to a satisfactory level and emphasised the importance of introducing the sport more actively among Maldivian women. 

As a result, both ministers agreed to organise friendly tournaments and training programmes for women’s volleyball players. In addition, the two sides reached an understanding to further strengthen sports cooperation between the two nations in the future.

Historically, during the 1980s, Sri Lankan sports ministers also took initiatives to assign local coaches to the Maldives under state sponsorship to promote football and volleyball.