Sportsmen travelling across international boundaries and playing while representing their countries are ambassadors of goodwill and peace. Sporting relations have mostly brought countries and the people closer, leading to enhancement in healthy bilateral and multilateral ties.
Unfortunately, whenever political and diplomatic relations face misunderstanding or hostilities, sporting relations become the casualty. In the latest such targeting of sportsmen, political parties in Tamil Nadu are threatening to block Sri lankan cricketers from playing in the IPl matches in Chennai over the issue of treatment of Sri lankan Tamils in that country. Under these circumstances the players can only feel disappointed and helpless. let us welcome the Sri lankan players and appreciate and enjoy their cricketing skills.
Governments and political parties should focus on addressing their failures in dealing with their countries' internal and bilateral issues and spare sportsmen and sporting relations.