Rare honour for Pinnewale
Asian Athletics Council member Prema Pinnewale has been bestowed the honour of being the sole invitee for the centenary celebrations of the International Association of athletic Federations (IAAF) which will be held in Barcelona, Spain.
A representative from each of the 212 member federations have been invited for this very special event in the world of athletics and Pinnewale would be Sri Lanka’s official for the ceremonies.
The annual World Athletics Gala of the International Athletics Foundation, usually hosted in Monaco, has exceptionally moved to Barcelona, and will serve as the climax of a packed programme of activities to mark the IAAF Centenary.
Over 120 star athletes, whose careers reflect many of the outstanding moments in our sport’s history, are travelling to Barcelona. Among them are champions from the London Olympic Games of 1948 and 2012 as well as many other legends of the sport. Joining the athletes will be more than 600 members of the World Athletics Family, and other International Sports’ Federations and the International Olympic Committee.
On Thursday 22 and Friday 23, an IAAF Council meeting chaired by IAAF President Lamine Diack takes place in the Hotel Arts, which serves as the HQ Hotel for the IAAF Centenary Gala weekend. During its discussions the venues of the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and 2015 IAAF World Youth Championships will be decided. Council will also receive progress reports from the three 2013 IAAF World Athletics Series events including the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.
IAAF was established in Stockholm 1912, when 19 Member Federations got together to form this World Body while Sri Lanka athletics was established in 1922.
IAAF council meetings are scheduled also for November 22and 23.