COLOMBO, March 18, 2025 (ePRESS) – Sri Lanka’s Deputy Sports Minister and former Olympian Sugath Thilakaratne warned that the government will take stricter action against the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs due to the rising cases of extraordinary athletic performances.
Speaking in Parliament during the budget debate, Thilakaratne said, “Many of our athletes have become accustomed to using banned substances to achieve victories. The Anti-Doping Agency will take special measures to address this issue.”
He further emphasized that the use of banned stimulants is rapidly increasing, particularly at the school sports level. Authorities plan to intervene and conduct mandatory doping tests on athletes through the Anti-Doping Unit. “Not only urine samples but also blood tests will now be conducted,” he added.
Thilakaratne warned that if stricter monitoring is not implemented, “our country’s sporting reputation will be lost, and the future of our athletes will be in jeopardy.”
The Deputy Minister also pointed out that the country’s coaches lack sufficient knowledge to combat doping. “We will take steps to provide our local coaches with expertise from foreign trainers,” he said.
He expressed concern over the decline in athlete performance at the national level despite their outstanding performances at the school level. “This is due to weaknesses in training programs,” Thilakaratne stressed.
Sri Lanka’s sports authorities have been under pressure to curb doping, with the issue affecting multiple disciplines, including school-level competitions.
