Lankan media highlights Susanthika’s harassment allegations

Soon after winning the bronze medal at Sydney Olympics two days ago, Susanthika in the company of gold medal winner Marion Jones of US and silver medallist, Pauline Davis Thomson of Bahamas reportedly told the international media about the harassment.

“It was trouble for me, including doping and sexual harassment. After I won the World Championships in 1997, the Minister … The big guy … He wanted sex with me. But I refused. I have a husband,” she said.

Though she has named the Minister, the local newspapers, including the pro-opposition media, has refrained from naming him fearing criminal defamation.

She said she had a big fight with the Minister after refusing his sexual advances. “We had big fight … He told me if you can not come with me, I am going to get you as an athlete.”

Susanthika’s allegations were also the main theme of the editorials of the Sunday newspaper in which the Sports Ministry officials were roundly condemned for harassing her.

The comments by Prime Minister Rantanasiri Wickramanayake that she won just the bronze because she ran with an a yellow ribbon, has also drawn flack from the media.

The yellow ribbon was distributed as a part of a campaign by an NGO to have violence free elections.

Wickramanayake said she would have gold or silver if she had run without a yellow ribbon. The Prime Minister’s comments were condemned as “stupid remark” in the editorial of The Sunday Island newspaper.

The Sunday Times in it editorial said “While most people in Sri Lanka were praying for Susanthika to win a medal, some scoundrels were praying for persecuting her and trying to destroy her.”

Susanthika has alleged it was only after she declined the sexual advances that she was “framed” in a doping test and suspended from taking part in any competitions.

“The test came back positive,” she said adding that “This makes no sense. I am a clean girl. I never failed any drug test before.”

She was accused of taking nandrolone. She, however, fought back and contested the ban at a trial and was subsequently absolved. She later moved to Los Angeles in 1999, where she underwent traning with coach Tony Campbell. Though she vowed never to return to her homeland, she came back to Colombo recently to participate in Sri Lanka’s Olympic trials.

Asked why she has not changed her citizenship, she said: “You can fix this.

I don’t have a sponsor. I don’t have any money. I am from a small country. Today Sri Lanka federation is crying. They gave me trouble, trouble, trouble. On October 2, when I go back (to America) with the bronze medal, they are going to be sad,” she was quoted as saying in The LA Times.

Susanthika was the first woman in Sri Lankan history to win an Olympic medal and also the first to have won a Olympic medal since 1954.

Meanwhile, some reports from Sydney said that she would settle down in Melbourne to train herself for future championships.

Considering the political damage Susanthika issue could cause before the crucial polls, President Chandrika Kumaratunga offered the sprinter a $ 10,000 scholarship for training in a country of her choice which would enable her to cover the entire programme inclusive of all costs of training, travelling and accomodation.

Sports Ministry officials, who were at loggerheads with her announced that they were mobilising a large cash award for Susanthika. However, it is yet to be announced.