Sports Minister Roshan Fernando (left) handing over the appointment letter to New Sports Director General Dr Shemal Fernando
I am ready to take on a new challenge as the Head of the Sports Development Department said newly appointed Sports Director General Dr Shemal Fernando who was a former Rear Admiral of Sri Lanka Navy.
Sports is very familiar to me from my childhood at Royal College Colombo and Sri Lanka Navy as an athlete while sports administration is nothing new to me with vast experience in the Sri Lanka Navy, National Olympic Committee and Sri Lanka Athletics Association as well as National Rifle Shooting Association. As an administrator although a former military official I will strive to maintain a cordial relationship with officials to develop sports, said Dr Shemal Fernando. We have to get close with athletes and want to promote sports and that is our responsibility, said New Sports Director General.
I have been associated with many sports National Bodies in various capacities and this is the ideal time to get this new post to serve Sri Lanka sports added new Sports DG Dr Shemal Fernando. I want to discuss with Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe and his Secretary K. Maheshan and meet Sport Body officials to get good knowledge, added Sports Director General.
Dr Shemal Fernando has also become the first Sri Lankan to be honoured by the International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) in recognition of his post-doctoral research. In the dissemination of sports philosophy, he has lectured at numerous universities and published more than 200 papers, in a variety of popular publications, including the Olympic World Library, extensively on Olympism, Olympic Games and almost all sports. He serves as an Associate Professor at the Institute of Sports Management.
Dhammika Ratnaweera