Mahela to head up National Sports Council

Former Sri Lanka Cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene has been appointed as the head of the newly-created National Sports Council (NSC), it was revealed yesterday. Jayawardene will be in the role over the next two years.

The NSC was created by Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa with the express purpose of advising the Sports Minister on matters relating to sports policy, and helping develop sports in the country.

On the face of it, Jayawardene’s acceptance of the role is an early victory for Rajapaksa; successive Sports Ministers have tried to rope in Jayawardene – albeit primarily for the purpose of revamping Sri Lanka Cricket – but the former cricketer has repeatedly turned down the offers, citing a lack of trust in his ideas being implemented.  

Rajapaksa, however, seems to have been given the benefit of the doubt, not only by Jayawardene but the rest of the 15-member council, which includes several prominent sports and public figures. Notable among them are Jayawardene’s former Sri Lanka Cricket teammate Kumar Sangakkara, former Sri Lankan national swimmer Julian Bolling, former captain of Sri Lanka Rowing Rohan Fernando, Sri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General Shaveendra Silva, and Hemas Group CEO Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson.

The full list reads as follows: 

• Mahela Jayawardene – Chairman
• Julian Bolling – Committee Member
• Kumar Sangakkara – Committee Member
• Dilantha Malagamuwa – Committee Member
• Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson – Committee Member
• Supun Weerasinghe – Committee Member
• Rohan Fernando – Committee Member
• Ruwan Keragala – Committee Member
• Sanjeewa Wickramanayake – Committee Member
• Major General Rajitha Ampemohotti – Committee Member
• Lieutenant General Shaveendra Silva – Committee Member
• Rowena Samarasinghe – Committee Member
• Yaswanth Muttetuwegama – Committee Member
• A.J.S.S Edirisooriya – Committee Member
• Thiyumi Abeysinghe – Secretary