Vision

“Contribute to the building of a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practices without discrimination of any form whatsoever and Olympic and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play”

Mission

“Develop, promote and protect the Olympic movement in Sri Lanka, in accordance with the Olympic Charter”
Also committed to propagate Sports in Sri Lanka and thereby to achieve unity and brotherhood among the different communities living in Sri Lanka and to promote sportsmanship and healthy competition in the World Sports Arena.

History

The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC SL) was inaugurated on 8th April 1937 at a meeting of representatives of Athletic, Swimming and Boxing Associations. As resolved on this day, the first meeting of the Ceylon Olympic and Empire Games Association was held on 30th April 1937 with the following persons attending; Sir John Tarbat, Mr. Mc D. Robinson, Col. P.J. Parsons, Dr. V.R. Schokman, Mr. A. Van Langenberg, Mr. A.B. Henricus, Mr. S.P. Foenander, Mr. C.A.B. Starling, Mr. D.G. Obeyesekere

At this meeting Dr. V.R. Schokman was elected as the President and Mr. W.H.D. Perera as the Secretary. With the dismantling of the British Empire, the name of the Association was changed to Ceylon Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association. Still later it was changed as the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka.

IOC Membership: The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka was recognized by the I.O.C. in the same year it was inaugurated – 1937.

Accordingly to the date of recognition of N.O.C.s by the I.O.C., Sri Lanka N.O.C. stands at the 6th place and is therefore one of the oldest N.O.Cs in Asia.

Office Premises: Since its inception, the NOC did not enjoy the luxury of office premises and each successive Secretary General had made his own ad hoc arrangements to provide a Secretariat to the NOC. This was far from satisfactory and it was well nigh impossible to provide the services that an organisation such as the NOC should provide to the Associations to a satisfactory degree and the dream of an efficient organisation of sports was far from realised.

In September 1995 a headquarters of sorts was established. But when the passing of time this building which was rather old soon became unsuitable for occupation and the N.O.C was shifted to a section of Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

The dream of many an Olympic Committee Official came true on 25th September 2008 when the “Olympic House” was ceremonially declared open at No. 100/9F, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7. This was a stupendous task as the total cost of the building which amounted to nearly Rs. 150 million had to be raised through grants, donations and sponsorships.

The building of the Olympic House became a reality with the laying of the foundation stone for the building on 11th May 2007 by Hon. Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Sports and Public Recreation. Since then steady progress was achieved in building operations and the Olympic House was declared open on 25th September 2008.

Objectives

a) To develop, promote and protect the Olympic Movement in Sri Lanka in accordance with the Olympic Charter and all regulations and directives issued by the IOC

b) To promote facilitate and develop Sports in general in Sri Lanka

c) To foster and promote Olympism in Sri Lanka

d) To observe, protect and uphold the Olympic Charter and the Rules and Regulations laid down in the Olympic charter

e) To disseminate among young people an interest in Sport and Sporting spirit

f) To propagate the fundamental principles of Olympism at National level within the frame work of sporting activity and otherwise contribute among other things to the diffusion of Olympism in the teaching program of physical education and sport in schools and university establishments

g) To be engaged in the establishment and activities of a Sri Lanka Olympic academy, an Olympic museum and cultural programs related to the Olympic movement

h) To undertake the training of sports administrator to ensure the propagation of the Fundamental Principles of Olympism

i) To encourage the development of high performance sport as well as sport for all

j) To commit itself to taking action against any form to discrimination in sport on the grounds of Race, religion, politics, sex or otherwise and against any form of violence in sport

k) To adapt and implement the World Anti-Doping Code as stipulated in the World Anti- Doping convention, thereby ensuring that the committee’s Anti- Doping policies and rules, membership and or funding requirements and result management procedures, confirm to the world anti-doping code and respect all the roles and responsibilities for National Olympic Committees that are listed within the World Anti- Doping Code

l) To encourage and support measures relating to the medical care and health of Athletes

m) To ensure through respective National Sport Organizations the preparation and selection of the athletes, thereby ensuring that the country is represented at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian games, South Asian Games, Winter Olympic Games and any other regional, continental or inter-continental Games having the patronage of the IOC. The committee has exclusively authority for the representation of Sri Lanka at the Olympic games and at the regional, continental or world multi-sports competitions patronize by the IOC. In addition, the committee is obliged to participate in the games of Olympiad by sending athletes. The committee shall constitute, organized and lead its respective delegation at the Olympic Games and at the regional, continental or world multi-sport competitions patronized by the IOC. The committee shall decide upon the entry of athletes proposed by respective National Federations. Such selections shall be based not only on sport performance of the athlete but also on his ability to serve as an example to the sporting youth of his country. The committee must ensure that the all entries proposed by the National Federations for the Olympic Games comply in all respects with provisions of the Olympic Charter. The committee is responsible for the behavior of the members of the delegation.

n) To undertake the organization of the games when they are held in Sri Lanka

o) To maintain the highest level of good governance, accountability and transparency

p) To preserve its autonomy and resist all pressures of any kind, including but not limited to political, legal, religious or economic pressures which may prevent it from complying with the Olympic Charter

q) In order to full fill its mission, to cooperate with governmental bodies, with which it shall achieve harmonious relations. However, it shall not associate itself with any activity, which would be in contradiction with the Olympic charter. The committee may also cooperate with non-governmental bodies

r) The committee may only use the Olympic symbol, flag, motto and anthem (which are the exclusive property of the IOC) within the frame work of its no-profit-making activities provided such use contributes to the development of the Olympic movement and does not detract from its dignity, and provided that it has obtained the prior approval of the IOC, in accordance with the Olympic charter. All Olympic properties including but not limited to Olympic symbol, flag, motto, anthem, identifications (including but not limited to the “Olympic Games” and “Games of the Olympiad”), designation, emblems, flame, and torches, and all rights to any and all Olympic properties , as well as all rights to the use thereof, belong exclusively to the IOC. The committee is responsible to the IOC for the observance, in Sri Lanka, of rules 7-14 and BLR 7-14 of the Olympic Charter. It shall take steps to prohibit any use of any Olympic properties which would be contrary to such Rules or their Bye-laws. It shall also endeavor to obtain, for the benefit of the IOC, protection of the Olympic properties of the IOC.

s) To be recognized by the International Olympic Committee and affiliated to Olympic Council of Asia, Commonwealth Games Federation, South Asia Sport Federation and organization.