Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews plays a shot during the fourth day of the second cricket test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Jul 27, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

COLOMBO - Sri Lanka has taken steps to speed up work related to the establishment of the South Asian country's first sports university, according to a statement from the President's Media Division on Friday.

Quoting State Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Rohana Dissanayaka, the PMD said it would provide opportunities for youths to complete degrees with expertise in sports.

The PMD said the sports complex in the Colombo suburb would be expanded in the construction of the sports university, which is expected to recognize outstanding athletes both locally and at the school level.

"The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is doing a wide range of work to improve the sporting abilities of the youth of this country to raise them to the national and international levels," the statement said.