• Ex-head of SLADA was a beacon of hope in anti-doping drive

Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency (SLADA) Chairperson Prof. Arjuna de Silva officially stepped down from his post after having completed a 13-year tenure last Wednesday (18), content with the progress achieved under his helm to rid the country’s sporting sphere of the use of banned substances. 

During his stint at SLADA, he was also appointed South Asian Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (SARADO) Chairperson with a vote of confidence from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). 

Addressing a media conference to announce his exit from SLADA, the professor said that he had decided to leave his post at the right time in order to make way for another individual to carry forward the work instead of holding onto it selfishly.

He noted that the work rendered by SLADA under his watch had been commended by WADA and its progress had been significant, with most local sports stars not being found guilty of the use of banned substances with the exception of a few athletes.

He was also a key figure in organising the Asia/Oceania Regional Conference and Asia-Pacific Inter-State Sports Ministers’ Anti-Doping Conference in Sri Lanka, and had built close ties with top WADA officials. He had also attended several WADA conferences as a Sri Lankan delegate.

Prof. de Silva was appointed to the SLADA chairperson post on 10 November 2011 and served at the post until he decided to call it quits last week.

A former Head of the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, as well as a former Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Cricket Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. de Silva had also built a close rapport with Sri Lankan athletes and was at the forefront of the development of sports medicine in the country. 

He was the Director General of the Institute of Sports Medicine from 2011-2013 before being appointed SLADA Chairperson.

During his stint, the professor had played a prominent role in streamlining SLADA and introducing new legislation to criminalise trafficking in banned substances by sportsmen and women. Sri Lanka is among a few countries in South Asia to have formulated legislation to this effect. 

Prof. de Silva was the medical provider for the T20 Cricket World Cup hosted by Sri Lanka in 2012. He was also the official physician to the Sri Lankan Olympic Team at the 2012 London Olympics.

He won Presidential Research Awards in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012 and was also conferred the ‘Vidya Jyothi’ national honour. 

During his term as the SLADA Chairperson, the professor’s vision was to make sports clean of corrupt elements and create a sound environment for athletes to excel in their chosen disciplines. 

He had also worked closely with athletes from all leading sports and sought to enhance knowledge about anti-doping among athletes and sports officials. 

(JK)

Prof. Arjuna resigned of his own volition

Prof. Arjuna de Silva also stated at the press conference that he had decided to step down from his position not due to any outside pressure but of his own volition. He said it had been done to make way for another individual to carry forward the work of SLADA. Meanwhile, it is rumoured that SLADA Director General Dr. Shiromi Pilapitiya is likely to replace Prof. de Silva shortly.