Sri Lanka’s Chef-de-Mission for the XXII Commonwealth Games in Birmingham Maj. Gen. Dampath Fernando (rtd) aims to create awareness about security protocols prevailing in the United Kingdom before the 165-strong contingent departs for the event.
Sri Lanka will be fielding the biggest contingent of 114 athletes accompanied by 51 officials in the history of the Commonwealth Games when the multi-discipline competition returns to Old Blighty this month. More significantly, women (60) will outnumber men (54) for the first time as Sri Lanka competes in 15 of the 21 disciplines at the XXII Commonwealth Games from July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham. The previous biggest participation was 103 in Glasgow 2014 while in Gold Coast 2018 it was 79.
For a battle-seasoned soldier who retired as Chief of Staff after a distinguished 36-year career in the Army, commanding a contingent that is equivalent to a company in the armed force would be like child’s play to 58-year-old Maj. Gen. Fernando. However, the head of Sri Lanka’s mission in Birmingham 2022 is aware of the economic challenges facing the nation and the hypothetical threat of participants decamping.
“We have to create awareness before we leave this place, especially among athletes and officials because the UK immigration authorities, customs, and security apparatus are very strict. They have a very close monitoring system. I also have to monitor because of the situation in the country but they have their border security,” he said in an interview with the Sunday Observer.
“I am planning to have a Managers meeting on July 12 (Tuesday) to give them a thorough briefing. The A to Z of dos and don’ts. Educating athletes is also very important,” said Maj. Gen. Fernando who is leaving no stone unturned to ensure Sri Lankans return home with some dignity.
“Travelling to another country at the cost of government or NOC (National Olympic Committee) or CGA (Commonwealth Games Association) funds is an opportunity. I believe at the end of the day you are representing your country as an ambassador. You need to have that pride and responsibility. Integrity should be something very unique,” said Maj. Gen. Fernando, a product of De Mazenod College, Kandana, who captained the Sri Lanka Schools basketball team at the Nationals in 1980 and also represented Army in squash. A former president of the Handball Federation of Sri Lanka, his first association with the NOC was as Technical Director of the Colombo SAF Games in 2006.
“We can create awareness and take 100% precaution but if someone wants to jump there are plenty of avenues. It is your individual responsibility,” he said, reminding participants that since they have got six-month multiple visas, they can travel up and down during that period.
“I have a methodology to have certain control measures with the support of others. I hope and pray nothing bad will happen,” said Maj. Gen. Fernando is on his fourth mission as head of Sri Lanka’s contingent.
“The present challenge is much easier because I have handled two SAF (South Asian) Games. Handling it (SAF) frankly was very challenging in terms of preparations, and organising the event. You come across a plethora of issues. In Nepal (2019) when we went for chef-de-mission meetings, not even 50% venue preparation was there. When we went for the Games, there were so many issues we had to deal with. You have to work round the clock in terms of accreditation, hotel accommodation, transportation and organizing meetings. You have so many things to coordinate. It’s tiring. That was a helluva experience,” said Maj. Gen. Fernando who was also head of Sri Lanka’s mission at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“I am telling the NOC leadership also if you are deciding to send a chef-de-mission to some high-profile events like the Olympics, Asian Games or Commonwealth Games, please make sure you send that guy for SAF because there you have to work at the grassroots level. You have to go through the mill. Otherwise, it’s like sending a soldier to battle without that battle experience. You can’t go back and sit in an office and tell them what to do. It’s that kind of a situation,” said Maj. Gen. Fernando who held all commanding positions in the Army including Security Forces Commander Mullaitivu earning several bravery medals during the war against the LTTE.
He feels his experience as a career soldier will stand him in good stead and finds the Birmingham 2022 challenge easier to handle because of their great organizational capacity despite his first exposure to the Commonwealth Games.
“It has given me a lot of experience and exposure. I believe it has helped me a lot when you go on a mission (Birmingham 2022) of this nature. To be very frank when it comes to Commonwealth Games, I find they have been getting ready for the last year or so. Things are very well organized. I see a big difference. I find it quite easy to handle things because everything is very systematic and organized, and there is a process. Communication is very easy. In terms of accommodation venues, for competition and training, transportation, everything is meticulously planned,” he said, having attended an ‘Open Days’ programme in Birmingham 100 days before the Games.
Asked what his exact role is as chef-de-mission, Maj. Gen. Fernando who is Group General Manager HR and Administration at Meldtacorp Group of Companies explained: “Basically I am in charge of the entire contingent during the Games. I am responsible for operational, administration, logistics, etc. Everything is on my shoulders as the head of the contingent.”
“I will be in one place but of course, I have to visit all the other villages. I need to have a programme for that. Every morning we have the standard chef-de-mission meeting. They will select one of these villages to conduct a meeting from 7 to 8 in the morning. It is mandatory to attend that throughout this period. The morning session is very critical because to discuss and sort out all the issues whether it is administration, competition, logistics, etc,” said Maj. Gen. Fernando who has to coordinate the Sri Lankan members scattered across different venues.
To overcome restrictions related to communications since the organisers are issuing official phones only for the chef-de-mission and two team managers, Maj. Gen. Fernando has decided to open a WhatsApp group with team officials. “I hope to start it by next week because communicating with them is very important. Every morning I will pass down instructions to the group and at least once in two days, I am planning to visit these villages to have a kind of meeting with the administration and team officials. Every day I am planning to get a report from managers and coaches about the numbers,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Fernando will be assisted by his deputies Gamini Jayasinghe, a former Prisons Department Commissioner who was Sri Lanka’s chef-de-mission at the Tokyo Olympics, and Chandana Liyanage. “I have a very good team. I know most of the team officials. It is teamwork at the end of the day,” he said.
He will be leaving for Birmingham on July 21 along with a couple of administration officials since they have to attend a DRM (Delegate Review Meeting) on July 23. “They go through the entire team size calculator, accreditation process, and village allotments one by one. I finally have to sign, then only others can come to Birmingham. This is the normal process for any Games for that matter,” he added.