THE PROGRESS OF NOCSL OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS

The workload carried out at the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) over the last six months has been enormous and truly commendable. Every member has contributed immensely, and the dedication and commitment demonstrated by the Executive Board, subcommittees and workforce deserve recognition.

It is heartening to note that we successfully participated in two major international sporting events overseas, the Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026 and the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, with a combined contingent of 301 athletes and officials, ensuring the timely and effective execution of all operations. Sri Lanka also achieved notable sporting success, including a historic Commonwealth Games gold medal and three medals at the Asian Games. The Youth Olympic Games in Dakar are now underway, with further international Games in preparation.

Educational programmes have been successfully reintroduced, conducted and continue to be implemented by the NOC Sri Lanka, further strengthening opportunities for capacity development across the sporting community.

The Second Sport Administrators Course for the year 2026 was successfully conducted in Jaffna, first out station programme in the 40 years of history, extending educational opportunities to the Northern Province, followed by the third Sport Administrators Course at Sri Lanka Olympic House. Furthermore, for the first time, the Olympic Solidarity has approved the NOC Sri Lanka to conduct the Fourth Sport Administrators Course with the official inclusion of international participants, marking an important milestone in the expansion of the NOC’s educational programmes and international engagement.

The Athletes’ Forum 2026 was also successfully conducted, bringing together 62 athletes representing more than 25 sports, with gender balance. The Forum addressed several important areas, including athlete safeguarding, anti-doping, sports nutrition, mental health, sports medicine, Olympic values and career development.

In addition, Olympic Solidarity has approved the implementation of the Athletes365 Career+ Programme in December 2026, targeting 40 athletes with gender balance. The programme will feature an international expert who will guide athletes through self-discovery, CV/resume development and career planning. This initiative aims to equip athletes with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to prepare for their transition into professional careers beyond competitive sport.

We have also strengthened our commitment to developing future sporting leaders through the Commonwealth Sport Women Leaders Programme, creating opportunities for women to take on greater leadership roles within the sporting community. Our participation in the 9th International Working Group Global Summit on Women and Sport in Birmingham, where Sri Lanka represented Asia, further demonstrated our commitment to gender equity, safeguarding and inclusive participation in sport.

The Olympic Day celebrations were successfully conducted at Independence Square in a larger scale with more than 500 participants, together with several other events and initiatives promoting Olympic values, community participation and the development of sport. We have also continued strengthening our international relationships through engagements with UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF, Commonwealth Sport, the Olympic Council of Asia and other international partners, exploring opportunities for collaboration in sports development, education, public health and community engagement, including the Fit for Life initiative.

Refurbishment of our headquarters has commenced. The National High Performance Centre initiative has progressed significantly, with Cabinet approval received for the proposed LKR 3.98 billion investment for facility at Diyagama and the testing and rehabilitation Centre at Torrington.

Plans for the restoration and restructuring of facilities at Torrington, serving key medal-potential sports have also been advanced, with a renewed emphasis on sports science, technology, performance analysis and modern training facilities.

The establishment of the Federation Transformation Committee and the commencement of its work to support National Sports Federations represent another significant step towards the future of Sri Lankan sport. A structured assessment and support process involving 35 federations has been initiated, focusing on strengthening institutional capacity, administration, accountability and long-term sustainability. We have also continued to explore corporate partnerships and sponsorship opportunities to provide greater financial and developmental support for our athletes and sports federations.

Preparations are also progressing for several upcoming international commitments, including the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Riyadh 2027, the South Asian Games Pakistan 2027, the Commonwealth Youth Games Malta 2027 and other regional and international competitions. Our focus remains on ensuring that Sri Lankan athletes are better prepared, supported and equipped to compete at the highest international level.

All this has only been possible due to the dedication, commitment and selfless service of all members of the Executive Board, subcommittees and workforce.

Attempts to destabilise the leadership, undermine the workforce and divert attention from the positive work taking place have unfortunately been a recurring feature of Sri Lankan sport for the last 25 years. The impact of such distractions is clearly reflected in the challenges faced by our nation’s sporting performances. We must not allow negativity to undermine the collective efforts being made to bring about much-needed change.

In this short period, we have collectively worked towards making the changes necessary, and NOC Sri Lanka together with the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs have taken the lead in reshaping the future of our sport through science, technology, modern infrastructure development, stronger governance, athlete-centred development, international collaboration, seamless administration, integrity, honesty and hard work.

There is much more to accomplish, but the foundation for meaningful and lasting change has been established. We remain committed to moving forward with unity, determination and an unwavering focus on improving the future of Sri Lankan sport.