Australia and Sri Lanka renew agreement on sports cooperation

Australia’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tim Watts on Tuesday (Oct. 10) signed the renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Sports between Sri Lanka and Australia, together with Sri Lanka’s Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Roshan Ranasinghe. 

The signing of the MoU will further strengthen the longstanding sporting ties between the two countries, the Australian High Commission in Colombo said in a press release.

It is expected to encourage cooperation in areas including coach education, training, sports science and medicine, gender equality in sports, and anti-corruption and anti-doping practices. 

Following the signing, Assistant Minister Watts tested his cricket skills with members of Sri Lanka’s national women’s and men’s teams. He also reflected on Australia’s shared sporting history at the Sri Lanka Cricket Museum with Sri Lankan cricketing legend Aravinda de Silva and representatives of Sri Lanka Cricket.

Speaking in this regard, Assistant Minister Watts said: “Sport is a shared passion and links us together, highlighted by our friendly but fierce rivalry on the cricket field, andI am pleased to renew the Memorandum of Understanding in Sports Cooperation between Australia and Sri Lanka.” 

Meanwhile, Minister Ranasinghe said: “Whatever our sporting rivalry, we look forward to cooperating under this MOU to find and nurture Sri Lankan and Australian talent. It will provide us the framework to work together to get the best out of our athletes and showcase them to the world.”