The country is currently in the grip of a paralysing financial crisis, which reached a shocking flashpoint over the weekend when protestors stormed the Presidential palace.

Basic necessities such as petrol and medicine are running low, and the price of food and other everyday goods has risen dramatically.

Both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have now said they will resign after months of demonstrations.

Rajapaksa promised to quit after being forced to flee from his home, which was overrun by angry crowds who were seen lounging on his bed and swimming in his pool.

The protestors have refused to leave until both the President and Prime Minister step down, with the latter's house set on fire.

In these circumstances it is difficult to imagine Birmingham 2022 having any importance at all.

But Sri Lanka still looks set to compete at the Commonwealth Games with a team of 114 athletes, a rise from the 79 who went to Gold Coast 2018.

"We have a lot of issues at the moment," said Major General Dampath Fernando, the Sri Lankan Chef de Mission for Birmingham 2022.

"We are going through a very bad patch in the country as far as the economy is concerned.

"Honestly speaking, it's a turmoil situation.

"We are suffering without fuel, gas, and we are facing a food crisis as well to some extent.

"The fuel crisis is a major problem, as because of that everything has come to a grinding halt.

"People are stranded in fuel queues, running into kilometres, day and night.

"As a result things are not functioning well."

The Government has blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for the crisis, which impacted Sri Lanka's tourism industry.

Others have said the situation is a result of financial mismanagement.

"Employees are finding it extremely difficult to report to work," said Fernando, who retired in 2019 as Sri Lanka's Chief of Staff of the Army, the second highest rank in its military.

"Buses are limited because of the fuel crisis, trains have come down to 40 per cent from 80 per cent.

"Everything has been limited.

"It's a struggle, it's survival of the fittest. 

"I hope and pray that in three or four weeks time we get our fuel and we will be able to cope with the basic requirements."

Fernando, also a former international basketball player, said Birmingham 2022 plans had been affected to a "great extent".

With money from the Government not available to help the team, Sri Lanka has been left grateful to Commonwealth Games organisers who have sponsored dozens of athletes.

"We are somehow managing," Fernando said.

"Air tickets are pretty expensive, and the Minister of Sport has said categorically that they cannot sponsor us because they cannot get money from the treasury. 

"They don't have dollars, they don't have money, but they have agreed to sponsor 28 athletes, 28 air tickets.

"This is only for a number of selected sports which they think will perform better compared to others.

"It is the Commonwealth Games organisers who have been very kind to pass funds.

"So everything is set, everything is planned."

Sri Lanka is due to compete in 3x3 basketball, aquatics, athletics, badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, cricket, gymnastics, judo, rugby sevens, squash, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling in Birmingham.

Female athletes will be in the majority for the first time, with 60 women and 54 men named in the squad.

This is largely due to the addition of the women's T20 cricket tournament, with Cricket Sri Lanka, which is in a better position than most, lending its financial backing to the country's team.

Sri Lanka won six medals at Gold Coast 2018 - one silver and five bronze - which was the country's largest haul at a single Commonwealth Games.

All of the podium finishes came in either boxing or weightlifting and the two sports are being targeted again, particularly in the lighter weight categories.

Weightlifter Indika Dissanayake, the silver medallist in Gold Coast at 69 kilograms, is among those set to return.

"These two sports have performed quite well, these are the two main sports we are looking at this time also," said Fernando. 

"Gold Coast was very good exposure for our athletes. It was a memorable experience."

Sri Lanka could also spring a surprise on the athletics track with Italian-based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon in good form.

He clocked 9.96sec to win the 100 metres at the Résisprint International event in Switzerland on July 3, becoming the first South Asian in history to dip under 10 seconds.

"I believe he will create something of a paradigm shift in the Commonwealth Games," Fernando said.

Other Sri Lankan athletes have been training all over the world, including a diver in Australia, gymnasts in Canada, a judoka in Kosovo and wrestlers in Hungary.

"Commonwealth Games preparation started over a year ago, and that was the time when we were facing the pinnacle of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Fernando, who has served as President of the country's handball federation and is also a squash player.

"We were having a lot of issues in our country in terms of training and other resources.

"But we have not given up our training, and today we are in a position to send our contingent."

In May, National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka secretary general Maxwell de Silva was attacked at his home in Colombo, reportedly over a row related to selections for the Commonwealth Games.

De Silva suffered cuts to his hands as he attempted to fend off two masked men who carried knives, and his daughter also ended up in hospital.

His car was found abandoned around a kilometre from his home after the attackers used it to escape but the official, who is well known in international sporting circles, is now back on his feet.

He played a big role in securing the funding for the country's athletes which could not be provided by the Government.

"He's doing fine and he's busy these days, getting ready for the Commonwealth Games," said Fernando.

"I'm in touch with him on a daily basis, he's the main go-getter and the backbone of the organisation.

"With his leadership and involvement we've been able to resolve a lot of issues, locally and internationally."

Fernando served as Chef de Mission at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, and has also taken on the role at the South Asian Games.

He said the Commonwealth Games was always an important fixture on the Sri Lankan sporting calendar.

"It is something the athletes are always looking forward to," he said. 

"Because it's a cultural experience for them, exposure for them, to mingle with other Commonwealth countries in the world. 

"They consider the Commonwealth Games as good as the Olympic Games. 

"When you look at the top level athletes taking part at the Commonwealth Games...

"It's a dream of athletes to take part." 

Sri Lanka first competed at the Commonwealth Games in Sydney in 1938, and they have won three gold medals in that time.

The country bid for the 2018 edition but Hambantota was defeated by Gold Coast in a two-horse race.

It is difficult to imagine another bid now but cricket, the most popular sport in Sri Lanka, is currently providing a boost to the country as Australia are touring despite the domestic turmoil.

"When the rest of the world imposed travel restrictions, they decided to come and that was a morale boost for us," said Fernando.

"The whole nation shows our gratitude to Australia for coming despite this crisis situation, and playing these matches.

"That was a really good thing that they did."

Sri Lanka will now hope that Birmingham 2022 can provide some more cheer, amid the hope that things will return to normal back home.

"I attended the open days meetings," Fernando said. 

"We spent almost three days over there, we visited all the venues. 

"There was a series of presentations run by the organisers.

"Looking at the preparations, I think it's going be a great extravaganza. 

"I'm sure that despite the COVID pandemic, the Games are going to definitely be successful. 

"I'm pretty confident of that."