What kind of donkey is the Sports
Minister? Obviously, he is not a person with an iota of grey matter in his
brain. The announcement a few minutes ago, that he will ban (by law) the sale
of any medal/certificate earned by ANY sportsman or woman representing their
Country, is simply foolish. Whose to know anyway?
Firstly it is illegal to prevent a
person from selling his personal possession to whomever he chooses. It is NOT a
national medal, it is earned by representing the Country, but it is that
individual’s right to keep, to hand down, to lose or to sell, and NO ONE can
prevent that. The country will never lose the fact that a person representing
the Country won such and such medal in such and such games. The item is merely
a token given to the individual, NOT TO THE STATE and the state has NO rights
over it in any case.
There is always, the possibility of the
particular National Federation representing that sport to match the price bid
at auction, if they are able to collect the funds privately to keep it within
the Federation and display as theirs, with the name of the person who won, but
that is as far as any acquisition by fair means is permissible, so that the
seller/ sportsman is NOT shortchanged.
It is said that we pay such sportsman a
stipend to keep them from living in penury and so are entitled to their medals!
That is SIMPLY NOT SO, as they are not related. A stipend is an amount that is
determined by state sanction, like a pension, and the amount too is determined
and it is at the behest of the settlor to do so and also to remove this right.
It is not similar to a State Pension where the right exists till death, and
enshrined in an act of parliament, so enforceable.
It is obvious that people who take
decisions on our behalf are not competent to make such decisions. Their lack of
knowledge in this area astounds me, as they have NOT thought it through. It is unenforceable
as the owner cannot be forced to give it to anyone, other than whosoever he or
she pleases and for whatever sum that they wish to accept, by auction or direct
sale or gift to another.
Don’t forget the Victoria Cross the
ultimate medal for bravery in the UK is freely disposable, and there is a
market for collectors, and so should any medal in Sri Lanka, be it a Medal won
by a member of our Security Forces or a Sportsman or any other medal that they
receive from representing the Country.
There may be rules and precedence on gifts
and commendations leaders of Country receive, and how they are passed on, if
private or national property. I don’t know specifically in regards to them, but
that is a different scenario.
2 comments:
Why are these elected politicians interfering in an area that is none of their business. There are so many areas that they should improve in their own purview without being busibodies pontificating on subjects outside of their ambit for some political mileage as it sounds good the gallery! Shameful to use penury of a National Athlete for personal political gain.
How people live is their business. No one owes us a living. Look at Tyson, he is in penury now because all this hangers on used him and dumped him, and cuts a pathetic figure today, after being worth millions in his heyday.
Similarly Susanthika was used and dumped and don't we remember the SB Dissanayake saga, which he would we rather forget. He is still a politician making hay while the sun shines, and poor Susanthika is trying to find a way to live, and it is a cry for help in auctioning her medal. How much someone is willing to pay is another matter!
She will just have to fight her way back, in the best way she knows, as there is NO safety net in Sri Lanka for past heroes in ANY field.
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