A new National Sports Council was appointed Friday by Youth and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage to provide guidance on the development, promotion, and governance of sports in Sri Lanka.
Former Sri Lanka rugby captain Priyantha Ekanayake has been named chairman of the council. Ekanayake has previously served as chairman of both the Sri Lanka and Asian Rugby Unions and has played professional rugby in New Zealand and Wales.
The newly appointed members include:
– Samantha Nanayakkara – Professor of Sports Studies at the University of Colombo and Sri Lanka’s first professor in the field.
– Rukman Wekadapola – Advisor to the International Boxing Association and an experienced referee.
– Sidath Wettimuny – Former Sri Lanka cricketer and opening batsman.
– Chanaka Jayamaha – Supreme Court lawyer and independent director at Colombo Dockyard PLC.
– Rohan Abeykoon – Former national rugby player and past chairman of the National Rugby Selection Committee.
– Niroshan Wijekoon – Sri Lanka’s first Olympic badminton player and former national coach.
– Murad Ismail – Former official in multiple sports federations, including table tennis and golf.
– Roshan Mahanama – Former Sri Lanka cricketer and member of the 1996 Cricket World Cup-winning team.
– C. Ratnamudali – Senior lecturer at the University of Moratuwa with expertise in sports regulations.
– Sriyani Kulawansa – Olympic hurdler and Commonwealth Games silver medalist.
– Malik J. Fernando – Co-chairman of Dilmah Private Limited.
– Shanitha Fernando – Former rugby player and past vice president of CR & FC.
The appointment ceremony was held at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, where Minister Gamage presented letters of appointment in the presence of Deputy Minister Eranga Gunasekara.
The council is expected to play a key role in shaping Sri Lanka’s sports policy and fostering athlete development.