Auctioneer Charles Leski holding up the first cricket bat used by Sir Donald Bradman in his Test career and which was auctioned off in Melbourne. REUTER

The newly constructed ‘Olympic House’ was ceremonially declared open by the Minister of Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge yesterday while marking a red letter day in the Olympic movement of this country. The new ‘Olympic House’ has been constructed at a cost of more than 135 million with major funding from the International Olympic Committee and the Asian Olympic Committee in addition to several other sports promoters such as Sri Lanka Telekom Mobitel and Diloag. The 22 affiliated member sports Federations will benefit immensely from this new building which includes a modern gymnasium and a auditorium. Pictured here is the Minister of Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge presenting a memento to the President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) Hemasiri Fernando for his services rendered during the last ten years. Looking on are Ministers Mahinda Wijesekera and Bandula Basnayake. Picture by Ranjith Jayaweera