Sri Lanka University Games

The Sri Lanka University Games are a multi-sporting event held between public universities in Sri Lanka.

History
Inter-University sports championships have been organized since the latter part of the 1950s. The first University Sports Festival was held in 1980 at the University of Peradeniya in response to a suggestion made by the Director of Physical Education of the University of Peradeniya, Mr. Lesley Handunge. Mr. Lesley Handunge, a graduate of the University of Peradeniya himself, was a skilled sportsman who had represented Sri Lanka twice in boxing at the Olympic Games. Furthermore, as he had led the Sri Lankan team at the World University Sports Festival and at a number of other international sports festivals. Mr. Handunge was able to organize a festival among universities in keeping with the standards and traditions of the Olympic Games. Thus, following this tradition, the Sri Lankan universities organize a festival once in three years and the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka organized XII Sri Lanka University Games in 2016.

The first Sri Lanka University Sports Festival which organized by the University of Peradeniya was held in 1980.

Participant Universities
The first Sri Lanka University Games saw the participation of six public universities and by 2023 the participation has risen to 15 universities

Events
The first Sri Lanka University Games included 12 events and by 2013 it has risen to 36 events under 22 sport categories.

9th Sri Lanka University Games 2007


The University of Kelaniya has its origin in the historic Vidyalankara Pirivena, founded in 1875 as a centre of learning for Buddhist monks. It was one of the two great national centres of traditional higher learning, heralding the first phase of the national movement and national resurgence.

With the establishment of modern Universities in Sri Lanka in the 1940s and 1950s, the Vidyalankara Pirivena became the Vidyalankara University in 1959, later the Vidyalankara Campus of the University of Ceylon in 1972 and, ultimately, the University of Kelaniya in 1978.

Today, the University of Kelaniya is one of the major national Universities. It is located just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the ancient and historic city of Kelaniya, on the north bank of the Kelani River. It has two major campuses, seven locations, six faculties and four institutions.

More than 5,000 participants from 13 universities will take part in the 9th University Games Festival, starting 2 November at University of Kelaniya. Around 28 events under 19 different categories of sports and the events will be held at 10 different places, including the University of Kelaniya, Sugathadasa Stadium, Royal College and the sports grounds of the National Youth Centre.

The chief guests of the festival are the Minister of Higher Education, Vishwa Warnapala, Minister of Sports, Gamini Lokuge, Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Professor Gamini Samaranayaka, Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya Professor Jayantha Wijerathne and the Vice Chancellors and Deans of all the universities. In addition to that, Directors of Sports of all the universities and the directors of the sponsoring companies are also to be present at this occasion.

Logo and mascot
The logo of the SLUG is in the shape of the letter “U”. It was selected from a competition. The letter “U” was selected, because the Kelani River flows in the shape of the letter “U” when it passes Kelaniya. And the letter “U” symbolizes the whole university system. It is green, to represent the greenish lawns of the grounds and the 13 balls represent the 13 universities who take part in the SLUG.

Oriole is the mascot of this year's sports festival. It was in the Olympic Games in 1968, in Mexico that a pet was used as a mascot and it was used to control anti-Olympic ideas stirred up by student revolts and to spread good will among people.

It is for the first time that a mascot is being used in a SLUG. Oriole was chosen as the mascot because it is familiar to all Sri Lankans and also because of the close affinity it has with the area of Kelaniya in the Selalihini Sandeshaya.

Oriole is an eye catching bird because of its shining body and golden neck and legs. It was selected as the mascot of the year because the oriole is the ideal pet which represents the ethics and principles of the university games.