- Critics question Lanka’s prep ahead of global events
The election of officebearers to Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) has been further delayed due to the postponement of the consideration of an appeal lodged with the Appeal Advisory Committee (AAC) affiliated to the Sports Ministry on Thursday (29 January), The Sunday Morning Sports understands.
An appeal had been submitted to the AAC challenging the voting rights granted to the athletic clubs of the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Districts as well as the Ace Athletic Club of Sri Lanka, and it is learnt that based on the decision put forth by the AAC, the nominations list for the SLA election for the 2026–’28 term is due to be finalised.
An informed source said that in order to determine whether the three aforementioned clubs had been active or defunct in the recent past, a former official of the game’s local controlling body had been summoned to give evidence during last Thursday’s deliberations.
However, sources attached to the three athletic clubs allege that a brother of the former SLA official summoned is apparently planning to contest the next election of officebearers, leading to a conflict of interest.
The SLA Election Committee is headed by retired Justice of the Court of Appeal Lalith Jayasuriya. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of SLA, which was originally to be held in August 2025, was postponed indefinitely following objections raised by the previous election panel headed by Wimal Nambuwasam over the eligibility of certain candidates contesting key posts.
SLA is currently controlled by the Sports Ministry after Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage temporarily suspended its registration in July last year via an extraordinary gazette notification. This was done to amend its Constitution in keeping with provisions of Sports Law No.25 of 1973 and to facilitate the election.
SLA has been without an elected body for close to two years, ever since its suspension by former Sports Minister Harin Fernando in late May 2024. Former Director General of Sports Dr. Shemal Fernando was installed as the Competent Authority for SLA till his retirement from service in May last year.
Local athletes have a busy schedule awaiting them this year with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August and the 20th Asian Games to be staged in Nagoya, Japan from 19 September to 4 October being foremost.
However, athletics critics are sceptical whether the national squads for such high-profile global events could be selected on merit without an elected body of officials being in office.
Efforts made to contact Sports Minister Gamage to seek his views proved unsuccessful.