Colombo, 18 December 2025 – The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC Sri Lanka) successfully concluded the Annual Athlete Forum 2025 on 18 December 2025 at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, marking the completion of a comprehensive two-day residential programme focused on athlete education, well-being, and holistic development.

 

The forum was organized by the Athletes’ Commission of NOC Sri Lanka under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee through Olympic Solidarity and brought together 58 athletes representing a wide range of Olympic and Paralympic sports across the country with a gender representation of 48% females.

 

Day Two of the forum commenced with a session on Athlete365 delivered by the Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission of NOC Sri Lanka and three-time Olympian, Mr. Niluka Karunaratne OLY, who highlighted the importance of utilizing available IOC platforms and resources to support athlete development during and beyond sporting careers.

 

This was followed by a session on Sports Medicine and Injury Prevention conducted by Professor Chathuranga Ranasinghe, who provided valuable insights into injury management, prevention strategies, and long-term athlete health. The programme then continued with a session on Athletes’ Mental Health and Meditation by Life Coach and Mental Trainer, Mr. Milinda Sooriyarachchi, emphasizing mental well-being, resilience, and performance balance.

 

Subsequently, a session on Motivation and Team Building was delivered by the Director of the National Institute of Sports Science, Mr. Sajith Jayalal, focusing on leadership, teamwork, and sustaining motivation in competitive environments. The final technical session of the forum was conducted by the General Manager of NOC Sri Lanka and veteran publisher and journalist, Mr. Lal Wickrematunge, on the topic “Communicating with Confidence: Athletes in the Media Spotlight,” equipping athletes with practical skills to engage effectively with media and public platforms.

 

At the conclusion of the learning sessions, a quiz was conducted among all participants as a recap to evaluate the knowledge gained across both days of the forum.

 

The programme concluded with a closing ceremony attended by the Vice President of NOC Sri Lanka, Ms. Niloo Jayatilake, the Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission of NOC Sri Lanka, Mr. Niluka Karunaratne OLY, and the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency, Dr. Lalisha Kahatapitiya. During the ceremony, certificates of participation were awarded to all athletes, while gifts were presented to the winners of the team-building activities conducted on Day One and the quiz competition held on Day Two.

 

The Annual Athlete Forum 2025 commenced on 17 December 2025 with an opening ceremony graced by the Secretary General of NOC Sri Lanka, Mr. Rifdy Fahmy, the Treasurer and Chairman of the Education Committee, Mr. Prithiviraj Perera, and the General Manager of NOC Sri Lanka, Mr. Lal Wickrematunge.

 

Day One featured expert-led sessions on Olympic Values, Sports Nutrition, Prevention of Competition Manipulation, Athlete Safeguarding, and Anti-Doping and Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS), delivered by Group Captain Nalin de Silva, Professor Ranil Jayawardena, Mr. Gobinath Sivarajah, Ms. Hiruni Munasinghe, and Dr. Shiromi Pilapitiya, with participation from Dr. Lalisha Kahatapitiya. The day concluded with interactive team-building activities designed to strengthen athlete connections and collaboration.

 

The Annual Athlete Forum 2025 reflects NOC Sri Lanka’s continued commitment to placing athletes at the heart of the Olympic Movement by fostering a safe, informed, and supportive environment that promotes personal growth, professional development, and long-term athlete well-being.

 

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