Sri Lanka welcomes 80th CISM General Assembly to Colombo

From left: Local Organising Committee Member and Sri Lanka Navy Director Sports Commodore Mangala Mummullage, CISM Secretary General Navy Captain Roberto Recchia, Local Organising Committee Head and Sri Lanka Army Director Sports Brigadier Thushara Fernando, CISM President Colonel Nilton Gomes Rolim Filho, Continental Vice President – Asia Brigadier General Rashid Al-Dosari, and Local Organising Committee Member and Air Force Sports Council Director Media and Secretary Group Captain Eranda Geeganage – Pic by Daminda Harsha Perera

• 80th General Assembly and Congress of the International Military Sports Council (CISM) officially commenced in Colombo yesterday
• Scheduled to span from 19 to 24 May in Colombo, cementing nation’s role as growing hub for military sport as well as diplomacy and international cooperation

By Janani Kandaramage

The 80th General Assembly and Congress of the International Military Sports Council (CISM) officially commenced yesterday at the Grand Maitland Hotel in Colombo – held for the first time in Sri Lanka, underscoring the nation’s burgeoning stature within the global military sporting community.

The General Assembly and Congress is set to span from 19 to 24 May in Colombo. In its capacity as host nation, Sri Lanka has appointed a local organising committee drawn from all three branches of the armed forces to ensure that every aspect of the event unfolds with the utmost formality and precision. Under the overarching coordination of the Defence Services Sports Board, the committee will oversee the Schedule of Sub-Conferences and Meetings for the Assembly and Congress. 

“Hosting the CISM General Assembly bears global significance as it not only advances military sport and fosters international cooperation and diplomacy, but also promotes cultural exchange and camaraderie among service members from around the world,” commented Defence Deputy Minister Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara.

The Assembly’s program opened yesterday with a formal ceremony, followed by the President’s CISM Sports Council Meeting and the Sports Commission Meeting at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel. The following day – tomorrow, 20 May – will host the Continental Meetings for Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe, also at Cinnamon Lakeside, providing a forum for regional collaboration and strategy.

On 21 and 22 May, delegates will reconvene at the Grand Maitland Hotel for the central CISM Conference, during which they will examine emerging trends in military sports economics, discuss investment in athlete development programs, and evaluate the fiscal implications of hosting large-scale defence sporting events. The event is set to formally conclude on 23 May with a CISM General Meeting at the Grand Maitland Hotel.

Speaking on the enduring significance of the Assembly, CISM President Colonel Nilton Gomes Rolim Filho said: “The 80th General Assembly and CISM, recognised as the second-largest sports conference in the world after the International Olympic Committee, is anticipated to witness the participation of nearly 300 foreign delegates from 80 member countries across four continents.”

He also added that the CISM aims to place specific focus on refining the overall sports program, strengthening academic and educational initiatives alongside athletic events, and deepening partnerships and communication outreach further in the coming year.

Established on 18 February 1948 by five pioneering nations – Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands – the CISM was founded to advance its noble creed of “friendship through sport” among the world’s military forces. Over the ensuing decades, this vision has attracted a diverse assembly of 141 member States spanning four continents. Sri Lanka joined the CISM in 1974, and the Defence Services Sports Board has since acted as its official, permanent representative in the organisation.