PRESS RELEASE: Update on Governance Reforms and Key Developments of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka
Updated Date: 15th March, 2026
Colombo, 15 March 2026 – The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC Sri Lanka) today provided an update on governance reforms, institutional developments, and preparations for upcoming international multi-sport events during a press conference held at Olympic House.
Governance Reform and Forensic Audit
The current reform process began following the suspension of former Secretary General Mr. Maxwell De Silva by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on 10th January 2025. Following allegations relating to fraud, bribery and misconduct, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) temporarily suspended funding to the organization. Subsequently, the ethics committee report was accepted by the Executive Board of NOC Sri Lanka and Mr. Maxwell de Silva was banned for 5 years. This was approved by the IOC/OCA.
Following discussions with the IOC and OCA, funding support was subsequently continued in good faith on the condition that NOC Sri Lanka conduct a comprehensive forensic audit covering the period 2015 to 2024. The forensic audit is currently being conducted by Moore Consulting. Draft reports for 2015, 2016 and 2017 have already been received while the remaining reports are expected to be submitted prior to the upcoming election.
Due to the ongoing audit process, the NOC Sri Lanka requested additional time to conduct its Quadrennial Elective General Assembly. In response, the IOC and OCA advised that the election should be held no later than the end of April 2026. Accordingly, the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka announced that the election of its office bearers will be held on 25 April 2026, as agreed at the Special General Meeting held on 14 March 2026 at Olympic House.
During the Special General Meeting of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka held on 14 March 2026, the membership proposed the appointment of an Election Commission to oversee the NOC Sri Lanka elections for the 2026–2030 term.
The following individuals were proposed by the membership to serve on the Commission:
' Mr. K. T. Chithrasiri, retired Supreme Court Judge, as Chairman
' Mr. Harsha Amarasekara, President’s Counsel, as Member
'
Mr. Piyasena Ranasinghe, Attorney-at-Law, as Member
The proposed appointments were subsequently ratified and approved by the membership.
Governance Benchmarking Initiative
In line with ongoing sport governance reforms in Sri Lanka, NOC Sri Lanka has initiated discussions on introducing a governance benchmarking framework for National Federations affiliated with the Olympic Committee.
The proposed initiative draws inspiration from international benchmarking models used by organizations such as the Australian Sports Commission. However, the intention is to develop a locally adapted framework suitable for Sri Lanka’s institutional and regulatory environment.
The benchmarking system is expected to assess governance practices across areas such as board structures, accountability, transparency, integrity systems, risk management and stakeholder engagement. The objective is to support National Federations in continuously improving governance standards across the national sport system.
Fit for Life Programme
NOC Sri Lanka is also involved in the development of the Fit for Life Programme (2026–2032), a multi stakeholder initiative aimed at promoting community health and physical activity through sport.
The programme is being developed in collaboration with the Ministries of Education, Health, Sports and Social Services, the United Nations Country Team and the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO.
The initiative aims to establish a data driven ecosystem that can map fitness levels, monitor physical activity participation and strengthen grassroots sport development across the country.
Sub Committee Activities
Between January 2025 and March 2026, NOC Sri Lanka’s sub committees carried out extensive work across governance, athlete development and operational planning.
The Audit Committee has overseen the forensic audit process and responses to audit queries from the Auditor General.
The Constitution Committee successfully completed the process of submitting the updated NOC Sri Lanka Constitution, which received formal approval from the International Olympic Committee in June 2025.
The Disciplinary Committee reviewed governance related matters and referred certain cases to the Ethics Committee.
The Education Committee implemented several Olympic Solidarity programmes including sports administration courses, coaching enrichment programmes and educational initiatives in sports medicine, mental health in sport and anti doping education.
The Gender Equity Committee continued initiatives on safe sport awareness, safeguarding education and increasing female participation in sports leadership.
The Infrastructure and Maintenance Committee carried out facility improvements at Olympic House to strengthen operational readiness.
The Medical Committee developed transparent selection criteria for medical personnel supporting Sri Lankan teams at international competitions.
The Games Committee coordinated preparations for major international sporting events and worked closely with National Federations to support athlete participation.
The Independent Selection Committee oversaw athlete selection and monitoring for international competitions and Olympic scholarship programmes.
The Media Committee coordinated communications, promotional campaigns and media engagement activities related to national and international sporting events.
Strategic Partnerships
During this period, NOC Sri Lanka strengthened its partnerships with the private sector through several strategic agreements.
LOVI Ceylon partnered with NOC Sri Lanka as the Official Opening Ceremony Attire Partner of Team Sri Lanka for selected major Games including the 3rd Asian Youth Games, Bahrain 2025, Youth Summer Olympic Games, Dakar 2026, 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, 23rd Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2026, 14th South Asian Games, Pakistan, March 2027, 8th Commonwealth Youth Games, Malta 2027 and 34th Summer Olympic Games, Los Angeles 2028.
Carnage partnered with NOC Sri Lanka as the Official Clothing Partner of Team Sri Lanka for 3rd Asian Youth Games, Bahrain, December 2025, Youth Olympic Games, Dakar, October 2026 and 14th South Asian Games, Pakistan, March 2027, supporting the national delegation with sports apparel for major international competitions.
The Sports Manager (TSM) partnered with NOC Sri Lanka as the Official Strategic Fundraising and Marketing Partner of NOC Sri Lanka, supporting corporate partnerships, fundraising initiatives and international athlete promotion.
In addition, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and Walkers Tours entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with NOC Sri Lanka as the Official Hospitality Partner and Official Transportation Partner respectively. Through this collaboration, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts will provide accommodation support and hosting services for visiting delegations, while Walkers Tours will provide transportation and destination management services for international teams and officials visiting Sri Lanka. The partnership also aims to strengthen Sri Lanka’s positioning as a destination for sports tourism and international sporting engagements.
Olympic Solidarity Scholarships for Los Angeles 2028
As part of Sri Lanka’s long term Olympic preparation strategy, eight athletes were awarded IOC Olympic Solidarity Scholarships for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The scholarship programme provides financial assistance for training, international competitions, coaching support, medical services and athlete preparation over the Olympic cycle.
The selected athletes are:
' Nethmi Ahinsa Fernando – Wrestling (57kg)
' Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage – Athletics (Javelin Throw)
' Aruna Dharshana – Athletics (400m)
' Lesandu Arthavidu – Athletics (High Jump)
' Tharushi Abhisheka – Athletics (800m / 1500m)
' Hiruki de Silva – Swimming
' Ranithma Liyanage – Badminton
'
Viren Nettasinghe – Badminton
Athletes receiving the scholarship are monitored through structured evaluation reports and performance reviews throughout the Olympic cycle.
Commonwealth Games Preparation Grants
As part of preparations for the Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026, Team Preparation Grants were allocated to priority sports with strong medal potential. The supported sports include:
' Athletics
' Weightlifting
' Para Sports
' Boxing
' Judo
'
Artistic Gymnastics
These grants support athlete training camps, coaching programmes and international competition exposure in preparation for the Commonwealth Games.
Sri Lanka’s Performance at the Asian Youth Games Bahrain 2025
Sri Lanka recorded several outstanding performances at the 3rd Asian Youth Games Bahrain 2025, with athletics contributing the highest number of medals.
The medal winners were:
Gold Medal
'
Gallage Don Lahiru Achintha – Boys’ 1500m (3:57.42) – OCA Youth Games Record
Silver Medal
'
Boys’ Medley Relay Team – Bingumina Adithya Bandara Senavirathna, Chamindu Sathsara Hewage, Nirudaka Vishal Fernando and Shanuka Progreat Nethmal Costa (Reserve athlete: Guneththi Chamith Loshana De Silva).
Bronze Medals
' Daluwatte Kaya Senara – Girls’ Individual Event (Rank 4)
' Dilni Nethsala Rajapaksha – Girls’ Triple Jump (12.31m)
' Nethmi Saneepa Gimhani Pulle – Girls’ 1500m (4:52.32)
' Chathura Dulanjana Jayathissa – Boys’ Javelin Throw (62.51m)
'
Shanuka Progreat Nethmal Costa – Boys’ 400m (47.72 PB)
The athletics squad concluded the Games with seven medals, making it the most successful discipline for Team Sri Lanka at the event.
Preparations for Upcoming International Games
NOC Sri Lanka is currently coordinating preparations for several major international multi sport events scheduled between 2026 and 2028.
2026
' Asian Beach Games – Sanya, China – 22 to 30 April
' Commonwealth Games – Glasgow, Scotland – 22 July to 2 August
' Asian Games – Aichi-Nagoya, Japan – 19 September to 4 October
' Youth Olympic Games – Dakar, Senegal – 31 October to 13 November
'
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – 13 to 21 December
2027
' South Asian Games – Pakistan – 23 to 31 March
' Commonwealth Youth Games – Malta – 27 October to 4 November
'
SEA Plus Youth Games – Manila, Philippines – 2 to 14 December
2028
'
Olympic Games – Los Angeles, USA – 14 to 30 July
Preparatory work for these Games includes athlete selection in coordination with the National Sports Selection Committee and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, accreditation processes, team clothing preparation, media promotion and logistical coordination. During the Games, NOC Sri Lanka manages transport, accommodation, media operations, entries and overall delegation logistics.
SEA Plus Youth Games 2027
Sri Lanka has also confirmed participation in the inaugural SEA Plus Youth Games 2027, scheduled to be held in the Philippines.
The Games will bring together athletes from the 11 Southeast Asian nations along with 12 invited Asian countries, creating a new regional competition platform aimed at developing young athletes and providing additional international competition opportunities.
Sri Lanka’s participation reflects the strong collaboration between National Olympic Committees in the region and provides valuable competitive exposure for emerging Sri Lankan athletes as part of the pathway toward future Asian Youth Games, Youth Olympic Games and senior level international competitions.
Youth Engagement and Olympic Promotion
As part of its efforts to promote Olympic values and youth engagement, the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka also conducted several initiatives linked to the upcoming Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
These included the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Art Competition, held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, which brought together young artists from across the country to creatively express their vision of national sports and athletes participating at the Games. The competition received 122 applications from children under the age of 13, with 46 finalists competing in two age categories at the final round.
In addition, NOC Sri Lanka partnered with the Olympic Council of Asia and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee to conduct the Asian Games Youth Reporter Project, where Sri Lankan youth journalists participated in a specialised media training programme conducted by the OCA. The programme concluded with the selection of Katie Speldewinde as Sri Lanka’s representative, who will join the OCA Media Team at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games and work alongside young reporters from across Asia covering the Games.
Commitment to Transparency
NOC Sri Lanka reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and good governance as it continues its reform process and prepares for the upcoming elections.
Through collaboration with international sporting bodies, government authorities, National Federations and private sector partners, the organization continues to strengthen the Olympic Movement in Sri Lanka while supporting the development of the country’s athletes on the international stage.
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