Lt. Com. Dimuthu Thissera, the first Sri Lanka military officer to be appointed on a residential post at CISM, the International Military Sports Council based in Brussels, Belgium[/caption]
Lieutenant Commander of Sri Lanka Navy Dimuthu Thissera had been appointed as Results and Statistics and Parasport Manager of the International Military Sports Council, better known as CISM (Conseil International du Sport Militaire), which is presently headed by Colonel Herve Piccirillo.
This is the first time in Sri Lankan officer in the armed forces has been appointed for a residential post in the CISM, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
It is the world’s second-largest multi-discipline sports organisation, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC), holding more than 20 competitions annually.
Under its auspices, soldiers who may previously have met on the battlefield compete on the sports playing field. CISM organises various sporting events, including the Military World Games and World Military Championships, for the armed forces of 140 member countries.
“This is a great opportunity for me to be able to work in an international environment,” Lt. Com. Thissera told The Sunday Morning Sports in an exclusive interview last week.
Following are excerpts from the interview with Lt. Com. Thissera:
Q: Explain briefly about your sports background?
A: I have studied in three schools, St. Thomas’ College, Kotte, in my lower grades, and Ananda College, Elpitiya --presently Rathanasara College-- where I sat for my Grade-5 scholarships exam. Then I was able to enter Dharmasoka College, Amabalangoda after passing the Grade-5 scholarship in 1993. Dharmasoka is where I developed my sports. I played basketball throughout my school career. I was selected for the national Under-15 basketball pool comprising 50 players. Then I led the Sri Lanka schools U-19 basketball team too.
After my Advanced Level exam in 2002, I entered the Gen. Sir John Kotelawala Defense University (KDU) as a Cadet Officer of Sri Lanka Navy. In KDU, I continued playing basketball. I was the Captain in the KDU basketball team. During the same period, I got the opportunity to play for the Sri Lanka Navy basketball team where I was a member until 2012.
As far as my academic qualifications in sports are concerned, I have completed the Sports Administrator Course under the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL). I have also completed a number of online courses under the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Later, I was Assistant Secretary of the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation too.
Q: A brief description on your sports activities at Sri Lanka Navy?
A: I continued to play basketball in the Navy. In year 2010, I was the Navy basketball Captain when our team became the defence services champions. That time Navy won that title after 27 years.
In fact I have been proud to play all major basketball tournaments in Sri Lanka, representing particularly the Navy. Also in 2011, I have represented the Defence Services Basketball Team for the 50th World Military Basketball Championships, held in Seoul, South Korea.
I was awarded Navy Colours two times, and one time for Defence Services Colours for basketball. Further, I have been awarded the Best Basketball Player and Best Offensive Player of the Navy in years 2008 and 2013 respectively.
I have been in Navy’s sports administration too, once being the Treasurer and later Secretary of its basketball wing. During the last two years, I have served in the Navy Sports Directorate as its Staff Officer of Sports.
Q: A brief introduction on the work done by CISM in general?
A: CISM is generally known as the International Military Sports Council. The organisation was formed on 18 February 1948. The CISM is one of the largest multi-disciplinary organisations in the world. It organises various sporting events for the armed forces of its 140 member countries. It is one the few global sports organisations in which a large number of sports disciplines are represented. This provides opportunity to soldiers, who may previously have been adversaries on the battlefield, yet now meeting in friendship in the field of sports.
Q: On the area of work you are assigned to do as the Results & Statistics and Parasports Manager at CISM?
A: The main responsibilities which are assigned to me are to assist the Sports Director by taking care of all results in CISM sports events, statistics management, and parasport. They also involve participation in the planning of parasport competitions and the activities of the CISM that are related to events that initiate and develop disabled athletes in the CISM events.
Q: Your views on military and parasport in Sri Lanka?
A: I am happy to say that the Sri Lanka military, or in other words the tri forces of the nation, is one of the main stakeholders of Sri Lanka’s overall national sports. The tri forces always recruit outstanding sportspersons to the armed forces and look after them very well.
Before I left the country to Belgium, I was able to attend a meeting with the Chairman of Sri Lanka National Sports Council Mr. Mahela Jayawardene and they have identified high-performing athletes as a concept by the Hon. Minister of Sports Namal Rajapaksa. There I got to know that four out of five athletes of the country are representing the Sri Lanka tri services. When it comes to parasport, I think that the military is the best platform to develop parasport, that too by involving the civil para athletes.
I would also like to give my sincere thanks to the Secretary of Defence, Commander of the Navy, all the Director Generals, Directors, and all officers who have supported me in many ways to take over this appointment.
This is the very first time in Sri Lankan history that an officer in the armed forces has been appointed for a residential post in the CISM. This is also a great opportunity for me to be able to work in an international environment.