- Sports Ministry medical representative’s nominations rejected
The Election Committee (EC) formed to oversee the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA), has reportedly dismissed an objection raised over the nomination of veteran coach Sunil Gunawardana’s suitability to contest the post of President.
The SLA’s election of office bearers for 2025-27 is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. on 18 August at the Public Library Auditorium in Colombo 7.
Gunawardana, along with Prasanna Indika from the Mercantile Athletic Federation and Retired DIG Upali Kumarasiri – also the Chairperson of the National Selection Committee respectively, are set to vie for the top post.
The Election Committee, headed by Retired High Court Judge Wimal Nambuwasam, which had looked into the objections raised over the nominations on Monday (4), had only accepted the protests raised over the submission of the three nominations of Dr. Dhammika Senanayake from the Institute of Sports Medicine affiliated to the Sports Ministry.
The said individual had reportedly submitted his nomination to contest the posts of Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and Executive Committee member of the SLA.
According to sources from the SLA, Dr. Senanayake’s nomination has been deemed null and void due to his failure to submit his assets and liabilities, which is a pre-requisite as per the new regulations gazetted by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage.
With the decision taken to disqualify Dr. Senanayake’s nomination by the EC, ex-champion sprinter Shehan Ambepitiya and veteran athletics coach Madhawa Senarath are now set to vie for the SLA Secretary portfolio at the AGM.
These sources added that at least eight objections raised over the nominations to contest various posts at the Sri Lanka Athletics annual election had been turned down by the Election Committee.
Objections had been raised by certain factions over Gunawardana continuing to offer his services to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) as a training facilitator, while continuing to be the trainer of athlete Merone Wijesinghe alongside Badra Gunawardana, which has been allegedly highlighted as a violation of the Sports Federation Regulations.
Sunil Gunawardana, a medal winner at the 1974 Tehran Asian Games, also had previously headed the sport’s local controlling body during the 2000-2001 period, before opting to enter the local athletics fray after a quarter century.
Meanwhile, the Election Committee of SLA had also reportedly thrown out the protests submitted concerning the nominations of S. Jagath Silva, Aloy N. Wickramasingha, Geethani Pathiranawasam, G.U. Manawadu, B.L.B.R. Bowatta, and Prasanna Amarasekara to vie for its Executive Committee.
Amarasekara is also a former sprinter who had competed at the 2002 (Manchester), 2006 (Melbourne), and 2010 (Delhi) Commonwealth Games and at the 2005 Asian Athletics Championships in Korea.
Some 33 track and field clubs and federations attached to the SLA will be entitled to vote at its election, while five other clubs have been disqualified from exercising their franchise, over their collective failure to meet the eligibility criteria.
The clubs barred from voting have been the District Associations of Mullaitiv, Kilinochchi, and Ampara, along with established clubs Masters Athletics and the Nationalised Services.
It is learnt that the clubs in question have been prohibited from the vote due to their failure to field athletes at the National Championship and at the Junior National Championships, respectively.
Following new regulations introduced by the Sports Minister three months ago, representation at the said meets have been made mandatory to be eligible to vote at AGMs of National Sports Federations henceforth.
A Sports Ministry source however confirmed that the new regulations had been introduced to the Sports Law to prevent members from inactive or defunct clubs or sports associations from contesting for key posts at annual elections.
Attempts made to contact Sunil Gunawardana and the Sports Ministry for comment proved unsuccessful.