NOCSL President Suresh Subramaniam Submits Status Report to Sports Minister, Expresses Optimism as Sri Lankan Sports Head Upward and Beyond
Colombo, June 9, 2025 — The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) has entered a critical phase of reform following months of turmoil, resignations, suspensions, and international oversight. In a letter addressed to Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, NOCSL President Suresh Subramaniam detailed the current status of the committee’s restructuring efforts and the progressive vision for restoring transparency, accountability, and trust within Sri Lankan sports governance.
The developments follow a prolonged period of internal discord culminating in late 2024, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) endorsed a set of decisive interventions, including the suspension of then-Secretary General Maxwell de Silva. De Silva was banned for governance failures and ethical violations, triggering a chain of resignations by aligned officials including former Treasurer, Vice President, and Assistant Secretary Chandana Liyanage.
Liyanage, now suspended for bypassing proper channels and receiving unauthorized daily allowances, is among several officials under ongoing investigation. Former officials Maj. Gen. Dampath Fernando, Lalith Vithana, Gamini Jayasinghe, and Suranjit Premadasa have also resigned. Their positions have been filled by Indrajit Fernando, Jivan Gunatilleke, Rifdy Farmy, Pavithra Fernando, Deva Henry, and Prithi Perera.
To reinforce accountability, the NOCSL has appointed a new Secretary General with a strong background in governance, reassigned the Treasurer’s post to the Assistant Treasurer, and brought in a UNESCO retiree with international experience to chair the Education and Procurement Committees. Additionally, an independent firm now manages the NOCSL’s accounting functions.
The Education Committee is now reviewing all past training initiatives and scholarship endorsements, focusing on eliminating redundancy, and ensuring due completion of previously endorsed programs. A notable example was the delayed MEMOS program information from March 2025, which was only posted online in May. Due to swift coordination with the Ministry of Sports, Sri Lanka was able to nominate a qualified candidate in time.
On procurement, new guidelines are being introduced to balance transparency with efficiency, aligned with UNESCO’s “Fit for Life” agenda. A draft concept paper has been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office and several ministries, outlining a data-driven sports development strategy involving schools, communities, and rural sectors.
Obstruction and Political Infighting Despite this momentum, reformists face opposition from within. Two Special General Meetings convened in April 2025 to approve budgets and accounts were disrupted by dissenting members who challenged the legitimacy of the newly appointed officials—despite due process being followed and rulings upheld by the IOC.
Most alarmingly, members from the Football, Basketball, and Gymnastics federations bypassed internal protocols and wrote directly to People’s Bank, questioning the authority of the new signatories based on an outdated 2018 constitution. The IOC has confirmed that the valid constitution was approved by the General Assembly on 14 December 2020. Notably, one of the dissenters had just completed a suspension from the Gymnastics Federation.
The NOCSL has vowed to initiate appropriate disciplinary action for these breaches.
Subcommittees and Oversight In a bid to institutionalize reform, the NOCSL Executive Committee has launched several new subcommittees—covering Finance, Education, High Performance, Gender Equity, Media, Marketing and Sponsorship, Procurement, and Ethics. These committees include experts from outside the organization to ensure independence.
Vision and Mission for a Renewed Olympic Movement Subramaniam reaffirmed the NOCSL’s vision of a corruption-free, inclusive, and transparent sports culture rooted in Olympic values. The mission is to foster unity and healthy competition among Sri Lanka’s diverse communities, protect autonomy from political or economic interference, and uphold global governance standards.
He concluded with a call to the Ministry of Sports to take strong regulatory action under the Sports Law, noting that some federations continue to be represented by individuals with questionable pasts or active fraud investigations. The letter emphasized that the IOC and OCA remain deeply concerned.
“It is our firm resolve that the Olympic Values as enshrined in the Olympic Charter shall be upheld during the tenure of the present committee, which shall only end on the date and period as prescribed in the NOCSL Constitution and as approved by its governing body, the IOC,” Subramaniam stated.
As Sri Lanka looks toward future Olympic participation, hopes remain that this painful chapter will give way to a more ethical and forward-looking era in Sri Lankan sport.
