Connect with us

News

Expert committee report on New Sports Act submitted to President.

Published

on

The Expert Study Committee appointed to recommend a new Sports Act in Sri Lanka has submitted its report to President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Committee, chaired by Mr. Jagath Fernando, has made a number of recommendations to comprehensively change the existing legal framework and administrative structure for sports in Sri Lanka

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is planning to submit the report of the Expert Study Committee on the Introduction of a New Sports Act in Sri Lanka to the Parliament and prepare a formal draft based on it.

One of the primary recommendations of the Committee is to establish a National Sports Development Authority (NSDA) to regulate and supervise all sports development activities in the country. The NSDA would be responsible for formulating policies and strategies for sports development, and would have full supervision over National Sports Associations.

The study committee report has also suggested that the National Sports Development Authority (NSDA) should be implemented to achieve eight basic objectives

The Committee has further recommended that the NSDA should consist of 11 members, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and the Chairman of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) ex officio, three outstanding professionals in different fields, two former captains of national sports teams or persons who have rendered exceptional service to sports in the country and It has also been proposed to consist of a former president of a registered National Sports Association (NSA) which is not under the National Olympic Committee, as well as three representatives nominated by the Secretaries of the three Ministries of Finance, Education and Health.

The Expert Study Committee on the Introduction of a New Sports Act in Sri Lanka has proposed that the National Sports Development Authority (NSDA) should have a term of office of four years. The Minister of Sports would be responsible for nominating members to the NSDA, and these nominations would need to be approved by the Constitutional Council.

The expert study committee report has also suggested that the Constitutional Council should appoint a suitable person from among these members as the chairman of the authority.

Furthermore, to ensure minimum interference in the running of National Sports Associations in order to comply with the requirements of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other International Sports Federations, the Sports Grievance Resolution Tribunal (SGRT) comprising 10 judges with powers to resolve complaints and disputes in the field of sports was also proposed to set up. It has also been made mandatory that a complaint presented to it should be resolved by a panel of at least three judges.

This study committee is confident that by implementing the above mentioned recommendations, it will be possible to bring significant amendments to the existing legal framework and administrative structure of the current Sports Act and to make these changes by amending the existing Sports Act No. 25 of 1973 of the National Assembly or abolishing that law. This study committee report has further indicated that it can be done by making new laws and a new bill can be prepared with legal support and advice.

News

Applications for O/L recorrections, open from July 14

Published

on

By

The Department of Examinations has announced that applications for re-scrutiny of the 2024 G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) exam results will be accepted from July 14 to 28.

Results of the exam were released yesterday (July 11) and were published on the websites: www.doenets.lk and www.results.exams.gov.lk.

Students or parents with queries can also call the Department’s hotline 1911 or reach the School Examinations Administration and Results Branch via 0112-785922, 0112-784208, 0112-786616, or 0112-784537.

The Department has also provided all school principals with usernames and passwords to download and print the official result sheets for their schools. Provincial and Zonal Education Directors have received the same credentials to access results for all schools under their purview.

Related News : 

Continue Reading

News

CEJ urges President to appoint PCoI to probe MV X-Press Pearl disaster

Published

on

By

The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) has urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to appoint a Presidential Commission to investigate the 2021 environmental disaster caused by the fire aboard the vessel MV X-Press Pearl.

In a letter dated 8 July 2025, signed by CEJ’s Senior Legal Advisor – Attorney-at-Law Ravindranath Dabare, the organisation reiterated the severity of the environmental damage caused by the incident.The CEJ expressed concern over the lack of transparency in the response by authorities, including former Ministers and government officials, and urged the President to establish a commission under the Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Law No. 7 of 1978.

The CEJ outlined two primary recommendations:

  • Reinstate the previously suspended committee and resume the environmental, biodiversity, and socio-economic damage assessment, ensuring the process is completed transparently and the findings are made public.
  • Investigate institutional misconduct and allegations of corruption during the response to the disaster, and take legal action where necessary.

The CEJ also recommended that the proposed commission include environmental scientists, legal experts, and civil society representatives to build public confidence and ensure an independent and credible process.

Continue Reading

News

SJB MPs & organizers urge Sajith to replace senior officials

Published

on

By

A group of electoral organizers and 10 senior Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs have privately urged party leader – Sajith Premadasa to replace long-serving senior officials and leaders, arguing that fresh, dynamic individuals are needed to regain public support after 06 consecutive election defeats.

The group, meeting Premadasa recently, had insisted it was unfair to place blame solely on electoral organizers when the party had lost 02 Presidential Polls, 03 General Elections, and the local government election in succession. 

They warned that unless the party’s top office bearers are restructured immediately, future electoral chances would be equally bleak.

Their strong appeal comes in the wake of preparations to remove several electoral organizers, citing accountability for the string of losses.

The MPs and organizers countered that the SJB had a better chance of winning more seats at the General if the Presidential election had been won, which could have been possible if they had entered a broader coalition with the UNP and other political groups.

They had also argued that Sajith Premadasa missed a crucial opportunity to strengthen his reputation when Gotabaya Rajapaksa first offered to hand over power during the 2022 crisis.

They claimed that certain economic advisors in the party discouraged him from taking on that responsibility, allowing President Ranil Wickremesinghe to build his own voter base by stepping up to the situation instead.

The group stressed that to reverse the party’s fortunes, long-standing leaders and officials must now step aside for new, energetic, youth representatives with innovative ideas.

(Source: Lankadeepa)

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Sri Lanka Mirror. All Rights Reserved