- Sports Min. yet to finalise SLA election
The reported failure of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to press ahead with the election of office bearers for the 20025-27 term for Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) thus far since taking over its governance four months ago, is likely to put a spoke in the wheel of local athletics, The Daily Morning Sports, learns.
Furthermore, it has put a dampener on the country’s participation at several high-profile global events in 2026, sources in athletics circles stated.
According to the athletics events calendar drawn up for the new year, Sri Lanka is scheduled to take part in a few international meets with the Commonwealth Games to be staged in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August 2026 and the 20th Asian Games to be held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026, being foremost among them.
However, since 25 August this year when Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage dissolved Sri Lanka Athletics via an Extraordinary Gazette Notification, to pave the way for the amendment of its constitution and holding of an election, its administrative network has been transferred to the Ministry Acting Director General (DG) V. Premachanthiran.
The Minister resorted to his actions when his Ministry Secretary Aruna Bandara was forced to cancel the election of office bearers to SLA which was originally fixed to be held at the Duncan White Auditorium on 18 August citing irregularities in the nomination process.
But, after the lapse of almost 12 weeks since the dissolution of Sri Lanka Athletics, those at the Sports Ministry have still not been able to finalise the process for the election of office bearers to the sport’s local ruling body.
This more or less has dealt a hammer blow to the athletes’ participation and medal prospects in both international and local events in the new year, athletics analysts pointed out.
According to critics, the failure on the part of the Sports Ministry to expedite the election for the SLA has also adversely impacted on the staging of several local meets as well.
Sri Lanka is due to compete at the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Tianjin, China from 6-8 February 2026.
The local meet which has been organised to be held from 2-3 January at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo as preparation for the event in China, has also been negatively impacted due to an administration not being in office for athletes at the time of writing.
Among other notable events lined up for the Lankans overseas during 2026, are the 18th Asian Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on 21 February, the Asian Junior Athletics Championships to be held in Hong Kong from 28-31 May, and the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics to be staged in Dakar, Senegal from 31 October to 13 November.
The National Athletics Championship is also due to be worked off from 4-6 September 2026 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium at Diyagama, but all of the aforesaid events are cloaked in uncertainty due to the inability of the subject Ministry to act on the said election.
As per the new amendments introduced to the Sports Law by the Minister concerned this year at least 45-days would be required to finalise the process for the completion of the election of office bearers to a sports association.
Efforts made to contact either the Minister or an official from the Ministry of Sports to ascertain their views on the issue proved unsuccessful.