- Nameboard associations urged to run or fall by the wayside
A clear front-runner for the presidency of the NOCSL at its election tomorrow (25), Jaswar Umar who described himself as ‘a reluctant candidate,’ due to his work overload at the Football Federation, vowed to transform the nation’s Olympic Movement with the backing of global sports bodies.
“I intend to use my international contacts to revolutionise sports here,” he told an election eve media conference in Colombo on Wednesday (22).
“And then utilise that strategic support to transform areas such as funding, coaching, training and technological knowhow. Even development of infrastructure facilities such as building new grounds, gyms, swimming pools, I will use my influence with international sports institutions towards it.”
He said he had achieved similar success for domestic football due primarily to his wide array of connections overseas, and maintained that he will look to introduce that mechanism to the rest of the sporting arena as well.
He insisted that the operational aspect of the Olympic House will be handed over to those from member federations who would form his new Executive Board, while he would devote most of his time to seeking the requisite input from foreign sporting institutions to bring about a sea change in the domestic sphere,
Umar, a straight-talking sports administrator who is the first from Football House to run for the adjacent Olympic House in the latter’s history, insisted that he had been initially hesitant to contest Saturday’s election, due largely to his tight work schedule at the Football Federation.
However, he remarked that due to the majority consensus from member federations he had changed his mind and vowed that under his watch his team will restore long-eroded trust, strengthen national federations and elevate the country’s reputation both locally and on the global stage.
Asked what would become of certain federations affiliated to the NOCSL which have become mere nameboards during the recent past, the presidential candidate emphasised that such associations will have no other alternative but run with his team during the next four years or become history in due course.
Umar identified five clear immediate priorities to get the ball rolling at the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) once elected.
They include restoration of good governance and transparency, strengthening constitutional compliance and accountability, direct financial resources towards athlete development and national federations, creation of regular dialogue and collaboration with all national federations, and support of capacity building.
He added that a novel concept titled ‘School Olympism’ would be introduced to all schools nationwide by a future administration under him, in order to create the pathway for aspiring sportsmen and women, to excel in international sporting events climaxing with the quadrennial Summer Games.
At tomorrow’s election Jaswar Umar is set to face a battle for the top position of the NOCSL from businessman turned sports administrator and incumbent NOCSL vice president Shirantha Peries and ex-Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) President Asanga Seneviratne.