Sri Lanka, April 8 -- The Directorate of Non-Communicable Diseases of the Ministry of Health has issued a set of guidelines to prevent accidents and acute medical conditions during traditional Avurudu games and events organized during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season in Sri Lanka.

These guidelines have been issued specifically to focus on festive games such as pillow-fighting (Kotta Pora), 'Kana Mutti Bindima, cross-country running (Gama Haraha Divima), cycling, swimming, rowing, lime and spoon race, climbing the greasy pole, tug-of-war, and sack race, etc.

However, it states that alongside the excitement of competition, there is a potential risk for accidents and acute medical conditions, therefore, these guidelines have b...