Modern Pentathlon President Nishanthe selected for MEMOS 2022/23

Mr. Nishanthe Piyasena, the president of the Modern Pentathlon Federation of Sri Lanka is selected to pursue Executive Masters in Sports Organisation Management (MEMOS) for the year 2022 - 2023 by the MEMOS admission Committee, of University of Ottawa.

International Olympic Committee and Olympic Solidarity supported Executive Master degree Programme - MEMOS is designed to help the professionals working in national and international sport bodies to develop the knowledge required in order to better manage their organisations. MEMOS is an idea of the European Network of Sport Science Institutes, supported by President Samaranch in 1994 and founded by Prof. Jean Camy and colleagues from several European universities and schools of sport. The first edition started in September 1995. It was a two-year graduate programme in French and English, composed of eight modules. The two first editions were supported by the European Olympic Committees and the European Union.

Mr. Piyasena submitted a proposal to develop the Modern Pentathlon in Sri Lanka together with his profile. With a strong recommendation of Mr. Maxwell de Silva, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka his selection was confirmed to pursue the degree.

The MEMOS Admission Committee met on July 4, 2022 and was made up of an international panel of academic experts who are tutors in the programme. The selection was based on candidates’ meeting the academic entry requirements for the programme and the candidates’ work responsibilities within their sports organizations. Priority was given to candidates contributing to NOCs. Sub criteria were also considered relating to the centrality of the work of candidates, the operation of the Olympic system in their home countries or internationally, and the project proposal. Finally, consideration was given to gender equity, and an appropriate geographical balance in the selection of candidates. Over 80 applications were received, and admission to this year’s programme was once again very competitive.

Based on Nishanthe’s contribution to the development of Modern Pentathlon in Sri Lanka and Olympic Movements, and his strong and attractive proposal for the development of Modern Pentathlon in Sri Lanka, his application is selected by the panel. The first Session of the MEMOS is scheduled to take place in Lausanne from September 4-14, 2022.

Mr. Piyasena was the Assistant Secretary of NOC / CGA Sri Lanka from 2009 to 2017. He is the current president of the Modern Pentathlon Federation of Sri Lanka. He has also been engaged with the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka. He played an integral role in his volunteerism at NOCSL. A few of the activities that he was engaged in with NOC / CGA Sri Lanka are as follows:

• Volunteered as a resource person at the Sport Administrators Course held for the Physical Education Teachers at the Uva Teachers’ Training College
• Volunteered as a facilitator at the National Olympic Academy
• At the 11th International Session for Directors of NOAs was held in 2013 at Olympia, Greece
• At the 3rd Lusofonia Games in Goa in 2014
• At the OS/OCA Regional Forum (for West, South and Central Asian NOCs) which was held in Manama in Bahrain in 2014
• 17th Asian Games, Incheon, Korea in 2014
• At the Media Workshop for Women and Sport which was hosted by the Olympic Council of Asia was held in Doha Qatar in 2015.
• At the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016
• At the 12th South Asian Games in India in 2016




Mr. Piyasena is a dynamic personnel who is very keen to provide service to the expectations or beyond and he is very enthusiastic to learn in every possible way. Accordingly, he was not only engaged in NOC volunteer work, he also attended the education programme conducted by the NOC Sri Lanka. He had completed the IOC – OS Sport Administrators Course in 2007 and IOC – OS Advanced Sport Management Course 2009 / 2010. Further, he took part in the National Course Directors training programme in 2016 and 2019. Mr. Piyasena is a remarkable person with a passion for sport and sport administration. He rendered his service for the Team Sri Lanka at the following Games.

• Chef de Mission of Team Sri Lanka at the 1st Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore in 2010
• Press Attaché of Team Sri Lanka at the Olympic Games, London 2012 (XXX Olympiad)
• Chef de Mission of Team Sri Lanka at the 20th Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow in 2014
• At the SAOC Council Meeting, Chennai – India in 2015




It is noteworthy to mention that Nishanthe is Asst. Secretary General of Asian Modern Pentathlon Confederation and a committee member of Sports for All commission at UIPM - world body for Modern Pentathlon. 

Mr. Piyasena’s participation in this course will be greatly beneficial to the Sporting Community not only in Sri Lanka but also in the Asian region too.

The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka wishes him all the very best!