Olympic Council of Asia Chief appreciates President’s efforts towards development of sports

Saturday, 13 September 2014 02:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Chairman of OCA Sports Congress, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah has expressed his appreciation of the efforts of President Mahinda Rajapaksa towards the development of sports, both in Sri Lanka and in Asia. This was conveyed at a meeting between the Governor of Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal and OCA President at which Sri Lanka was reconfirmed as the Host for the 2017 Asian Youth Games in the cities of Colombo and Hambantota.

At this meeting, the Central Bank Governor conveyed the commitment of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government towards the organisation of these Youth Games. A high-level delegation from Sri Lanka led by Cabraal, Joint Chairman of the Organising Committee for Asian Youth Games 2017, and consisting of Hemasiri Fernando, President, National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka and the Deputy Chairman of the Organising Committee, Anura Jayawickrema, Secretary to the Ministry of Sports, Maxwell de Silva, Secretary General, National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, and Prema Pinnawala, Adviser to the Presiden

t of Sri Lanka on Sports, met with Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah at the Headquarters of the OCA in Kuwait on 2 September. The logistics in relation to the organisation of the Games as well as the events to be conducted were also discussed, and it was agreed that a final decision on the specific sports and venues would be taken, immediately after the General Meeting of the OCA which is due to be held in Incheon, Korea in mid-September 2014.