• Mother-daughter contest a damp squib?

The long-overdue election of office bearers for the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka (NFSL) for the 2026-28 term, is set to get underway at the Duncan White Auditorium of the Sports Ministry this morning (22), with Vajira Nethicumara and Desika Vitharana contesting for the presidency.

Nethicumara, a former netball star turned-entrepreneur from the Kalutara District Netball Association (KDNA) is tipped by netball analysts to get the better of Vitharana from the State Service Netball Association (SSNA), at the election.

It is expected that Nethicumara will be on home stretch come the election cum Annual General Meeting (AGM), due largely to the support extended to her by a majority of district associations over her closest challenger Vitharana.

A notable feature at today’s election would be the eldest daughter of Vajira, Rukshi Sarah Nethicumara from the Kandy District Netball Association (KDNA) going up against her mother for the governing body’s top post.

However, netball analysts contend that Rukshi is set to withdraw her nomination before the election proper kicks off, allowing a two-way contest between her mother and Desika for the presidency.

Officials from a total of 26 district netball associations attached to the NFSL are eligible to vote at today’s election, as per provisions of its Constitution. 

The list of nominations released for the delayed election, sees Shiromi Kuruppu from the Ratnapura District Netball Association (RDNA) vying for the post of secretary against Damayanthi Jayathilaka of the Gampaha District Netball Association (GDNA).

Further contests are also in the offing for the posts of vice president, assistant secretary and tournament secretary, with the two posts treasurer and assistant treasurer being already filled uncontested.

The four-member Election Committee of the NFSL is headed by retired High Court Judge Irangani Perera.

Its rest of the members are the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development former Additional Secretary J.M. Thilakaratne Banda, Sports Ministry ex-Additional Secretary D. Anuradha L. Illeperuma, and former Additional Secretary – Development at the Sports Ministry M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe.

The Netball Federation of Sri Lanka helmed by Lakshmi Victoria was dissolved by ex-Sports Minister Harin Fernando in late May 2024 over its perceived failure to hold its election of office bearers before the annual cut-off date of 31 May 2024. 

According to informed sources, Victoria has decided against running for office at today’s election of office bearers for the NFSL.  

Following its suspension, the netball administration was handed over to then Director General of Sports affiliated to the Sports Ministry Dr. Shemal Fernando, who controlled it as the Competent Authority (CA) till his retirement in July last year.

Upon Fernando’s retirement from service, current Sports Minister Sunil Kumara temporarily suspended the registration of the NFSL to amend its Constitution as per the provisions of Sports Law No. 25 of 1973 and to facilitate its election.

The subject Minister subsequently transferred the governance of the NFSL to Acting Director General of Sports V. Premachanthiran, who was succeeded by S. Achchudan, as the new DG of Sports from early this month.