Sri Lanka’s Olympic medalist, Susanthika Jayasinghe, who recently stirred controversy by announcing her plans to auction off her Olympic Silver medal, says that she has served the country more than the Minister of Sports.  

In an interview today (9), the former sprinter stated that by now she has confirmed the value of an Olympic medal and the services a country can gain from an Olympian.

She claimed that presently there is an offer for around Rs 250 million for her medal and that she is no hurry to sell the Silver medal. 

Jayasinghe stated that she does not plan on working under incumbent Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara if she receives an invitation in the future as she is disappointed by him.

However, she stated that she will probably seek employment in the private sector in order to cover her expenses.

Jayasinghe stated that Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara’s recent statement that laws will be introduced preventing the sale of international medals won by athletes, had revealed his ignorance. 

Susanthika stated that her medal is the only Olympic medal won by an Asian in short distance running, not just by a Sri Lankan, and that in any country in the world the medal belongs to the athlete.

She stated that apart from the Sports Minister no other leader including the President and Prime Minister had many response to her announcement because they are aware of it and that the Sports Minister “has no brain” with regard to the matter. 

Jayasinghe stated that there have been other instances where Olympic medalists from certain countries have auctioned off their medals due to financial and legal problems and that she decided to sell the medal because she lost her monthly allowance. 

When asked about the accusations that she had failed to provide the services necessary to receive the monthly allowance, Susanthika said she does not want to talk about that.

She said that although governments and subject ministers change, the service she has done to the country does not change.