Members of the Athletic Committee make a show of strength with 18 signatories
The NOCSL conundrum turned another phase when a letter with twenty international and national sports personnel that carried seventeen signatures was sent to the IOC Director Relations Pere Miro claiming that the NOCSL Athletic Commission was duly elected.
It was only last week that the Sunday Times came up with the story on the election of the members of the NOCSL Athletic Commission with shuttler Niluka Karunaratne as its head while O l ympic swimmer Re s h i k a Udugampola elected as its secretary.
The other members of the commission were Nuwan Dharmawardena, Ishara Madurangi and Chamari Mendis Warnakulasuriya.
In the same vein we also carried that there was a letter sent to the IOC with five signatures opposing this move.
The Chairman of the committee Niluka Karunaratne who is overseas at present could not place his signature on the document. Dinesha Perera and S.S. Priyankara from the Hockey Federation had not placed their signatures because they were in Kandy. The following are the two letters:
24th January 2018
To: Mr. Pere Miro, Director Relations, IOC Captain Husain, OCA
A meeting to form the Athlete Commission was held on 17th January 2018 at the auditorium of the "Olympic House" at 05.00p.m. After the meeting was adjourned, the selected members of the Athlete Commission elected 2 members as the representatives for General Assembly and 1 member as representative of Executive Committee along with a chairman for the commission.
Mr. S. Ranugge, who is a former Secretary to the Ministry of Sports, conducted the meeting and was welcomed by the Secretary General of the NOCSL. The Secretary General informed the House that nominations were called for the Athlete Commission from the National Federations (NFs) by the deadline of 15th January 2018. Accordingly, the NFs were informed that the Athlete Commission is composed of 3 Olympians, who have participated at least at the last three editions of Olympics and 2 non-Olympians.
As per the above criteria, the nominations were received and the National Federations had the freedom to apply until 15th January 2018 Mid Night.
However, the nomination of Mr. Sumedha Ranasinghe, who represented in
RIO 2016 Olympic Games, from Sri Lanka Athletics Federation, was received on 16th January 2018 by then the nomination deadline had already passed and therefore, was rejected. Although there was an objection from the Shooting Federation,
Mr. Sumedha Ranasinghe himself did not object for the above statement.
As there were only 3 nominations received for Olympians, they were elected uncontested. Therefore, the elections of the other two members were conducted by Mr. S. Ranugge from there onwards. Accordingly, the two representatives were elected from Table Tennis and Weightlifting.
We are pleased for the diplomatic way the meeting was conducted and hereby writing to confirm you that the Athlete Commission will do the best for sport of the country.
Ms Reshika Udugampola, Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union, Mr. R. C. Nuwan Dharmawardhana, Sri Lanka Judo Association, Mr. Niluka Karunarathne, Sri Lanka Badminton Association, Ms. M.B. Ishara Madurangi Darshika, Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka, W. Chamari Mendis Wanakulasuriya, Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation, Ms. Thilini Promodika Hendahewa, Sri Lanka Badminton Association, Mr. Rohan Sirisena, Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka, Mr. Sudesh Peiris, Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation, Ms. K.D. Samithri Maleesha Perera, National Roller Skating Association of Sri Lanka, Mr. N.G. Dulshan Sachithra, National Roller Skating Association of Sri Lanka, Ms. D.P.B.D. Kumari, Sri Lanka Karate-do Federation, Mr. W.M.P. Sandaruwan, Sri Lanka Karate-do Federation Mr. H.S. Buddhika, Wrestling Federation of Sri Lanka Ms. W.M.D.J.K. Weerabahu, Wrestling Federation of Sri Lanka Ms. Tanuja Dilrukshi Weerakkody, Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union, Ms. Dinesha Perera, Sri Lanka Hockey Federation, Mr. S.S. Priyalanka, Sri Lanka Hockey Federation, Ms. LWNN Abeyrathna, Handball Federation of Sri Lanka, D.B.M. Thalagala Basketball Federation of Sri Lanka, R.R.S. Fernando Basketball Federation of Sri Lanka and R. Rajapakse of the Sri Lanka Tennis Association.
cc: Mr Jerome Poivey, Director, International Relations IOC