Dian Gomes appointed to Cabos Advisory Body
Dian Gomes a synonymous name in the sport of boxing who turned a new leaf in Sri Lanka boxing after he took over the hot seat of the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka in the year 2004 which he saddled with success for the next five years.
Dian’s whose die hard efforts put in to Sri Lanka’s boxing has been honoured by being appointed to the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS) for the period 2013 to 2016 to become the first Sri Lankan to be appointed to the Advisory Body which was first set up in 2005.
Dian Gomes is known as the architect of the modern day renaissance of the sport of boxing in Sri Lanka and was instrumental in formulating and defining boxing strategy which saw a boxer in qualifying to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 after 40 years; and Sri Lanka’s rise as a strong contender in the Asian and global boxing arena.
Gomes’ tenure and guidance at the ABASL saw many international medals in boxing, and the upsurge of Women’s boxing in the country. Gomes’ illustrious sports administration portfolio includes various local and international appointments.
He was Secretary of the Marketing Commission of the International Boxing Association (AIBA, 2008- 2009), Secretary of the Finance Commission of the International Boxing Association (AIBA, 2010-2011) and is presently a Member of the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) Athletes and Youth Commission.
He was the Founder Vice President of the National Association of Fencing, Sri Lanka (2008-2010) and was instrumental in the development of this sport from its inception in 2008. He continues to contribute to development of Sri Lankan sport, in general, through the capacity of Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka.
Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, announcing the appointment states “The knowledge and expertise you (Dian Gomes) bring to CABOS will no doubt enrich the contribution it is able to make towards sport and development in the Commonwealth.”
Gomes was nominated through Sri Lanka as a member country of the Commonwealth and is one of only 14 members appointed to CABOS, every four years. The members to the CABOS body are appointed by the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the recommendation of member governments, the sports and development communities and existing members; involving a protracted and detailed selection process.
Members are selected based on competency, expertise and experience, and is representative of the diversity inherent to the Commonwealth. Drawn from every region of the Commonwealth, the membership in-
Dian’s whose die hard efforts put in to Sri Lanka’s boxing has been honoured by being appointed to the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS) for the period 2013 to 2016 to become the first Sri Lankan to be appointed to the Advisory Body which was first set up in 2005
cludes representatives of the sports community, development sector, academia and government as well as youth representatives.
Other members appointed in 2013 include HRH Tunku Imran, President, Commonwealth Games Federation; Sir Hilary Beckles, Pro Vice Chancellor and Principal, University of the West Indies, Barbados; Dr Denis Bright, Regional Director, Right To Play, West and Francophone Africa, Sierra Leone; Mr. P.K. Deb, Secretary Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports lndia; Mr. Richard Eccies, Deputy Secretary, Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport, Australia; Mr. Nceba Maxwell Fuzani, Ministerial Special Adviser, Department of Sport and Recreation, South Africa;Dr. Bruce Kidd, Professor and Warden, Hart House, University of Toronto, Canada;Dr. Khoo Phaik Lin Selina, University of Malaya, Malaysia;Mr. Norit Luio, National Youth Commissioner, Papua New Guinea, Ms. Louise Martin, Chair, sport Scotland, United Kingdom;Mr. Mark Mungal, Director, Caribbean Sport and Development Agency, Trinidad & Tobago; Mr. Seth OseiAgyen, Director, Sports, Statistics and Information Management, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ghana; and a Youth Representative from the Commonwealth SDP Focal Points Working Group/Commonwealth Games Federation. Prof. Bruce Kidd has been appointed as interim Chairman.
CABOS is an ardent, evidence-based advocate for sport, for development and peace within the Commonwealth Secretariat and among member and regional governments, and has become a clearing house for research, submissions to ministers and examples of ‘best practice’.
It has helped co-ordinate efforts within the Commonwealth and at other international bodies such as the International Working Group on Sport for Development and Peace. CABOS has also been an advisor and a sounding-board on sport policy for the Commonwealth Secretariat on other issues, including policies on girls and women, antidoping, match-fixing and the integrity of sport.
Gomes emphasized that he hopes to use this appointment as a platform to contribute to the development of sport in the Commonwealth countries, and also will make efforts through this to the benefit of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka sport.