Former umpire wants wheelchair-friendly stadiums

Dr Ajith Perera, a former Sri Lankan umpire, has started an an 'Enabling Environments for Everyone' campaign to make sporting venues in Sri Lanka accessible to handicapped or disabled people. His campaign ties up with the government declaring 2007 as a "Year of Accessibility' and Perera - a paraplegic since a car accident in 1992, days before he was due to make his umpiring debut - is determined that something tangible is done to make public places accessible to wheelchair users.

"Over 30% of our population experiences reduced ability to move and climb even a few steps," said Perera. "Also included here are our much talked about 'War Heroes' from the armed services and police. A whole spectrum of impairments affects different people, at different points in their lives and chances are high that each one of us, for different reasons, is certain to spend some time facing this reality. But 70% of these numbers are still healthy and able people, very much wanting to get going with daily activities of life."

"Going to a cricket match could be one such desire. But this will remain a dream since none of our sporting venues, including the international grounds, provides even the basic facilities for this diverse and large sector of people. Sports they say 'bring all together' but in Sri Lanka, with poorly designed facilities at venues, even sports deny their inclusion."

He recalled how, when England toured Sri Lanka three years ago, there were inquiries from wheelchair-using tourists who wished to travel to Sri Lanka. "But they were turned away because of the total absence of essential basic facilities at match venues and at our 'star-class' hotels", said Perera. England are due again in November and he hoped that the new Minister for Sports would make certain that the desired result would happen within the year.

"The government, backed by the Ministry of Social Welfare, has already gazetted regulations for accessibility. Environments at cricket and other sports venues, especially for those requiring assistance with their mobility, is now a must by law," said Perera.

Drawing on his experience from officiating matches in Lancashire, Perera said "Most of our clubs to a large extent depend on 'Monetary Grants' given by Sri Lanka Cricket. They continue to cry for more such charity money. Of course it is the moral duty of SLC to give equally to every club more assistance in all possible avenues to uplift the game's quality here. But it's time cricket clubs and associations must also think optimistically, identify income generating ideas and put them into action to meet their own financial requirements.

"The backbone of their success is that they see and respect the inevitable 'disability of people' as human diversity and realise it is their moral responsibility to welcome all people to the matches with empathetically modified facilities at grounds. The money spent here is considered as a 'big investment', not expenditure. They understand that every person is a potential income earning opportunity for them and that a spectator lost is a loss of revenue opportunity," said Perera.

"The saddest thing in Sri Lanka is that administrators have tragically forgotten that we are a rapidly ageing population. Unless their basic needs are met at match venues, we will soon lose this increasing big sector of the population at grounds."