New Director General of Sports appointed

Dr. Shemal Fernando has been appointed as the new Director General of Sports, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs announced.

He has been appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers on the recommendations of Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Roshan Ranasinghe.

Dr. Fernando’s appointment as the Director General of Sports is significant as he will be responsible for development and implementation of sports programs across the country, working closely with innumerable stakeholders.

The appointment of the most deserving professional to the chair demonstrates the government’s commitment towards promoting sports in Sri Lanka and investing in the country’s elite athletes.

Dr. Fernando is the first Sri Lankan to achieve a doctoral degree (PhD) in sports science in a Sri Lankan university. He has fulfilled the strong criteria outlined for the key post in country’s sports and topped the ‘Merit List’ compiled by a Cabinet Appointed Committee chaired by Anura Dissanayake, the Secretary to the Prime Minister and included Donald Fernando, the Secretary to the Cabinet and Mr. K. Mahesan, the Secretary Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.

Dr. Fernando has also completed the International Olympic Committee’s academic degree, an Executive MSc on sports administration, securing an Olympic Solidarity scholarship. Besides, his credentials include a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and a Master of Science (MSc) in management spheres and the International Staff Course at the prestigious United States’ Naval War College and host of other post-graduate qualifications.

He is the recipient of the prestigious Presidential Sports Award for Sri Lanka’s Most Outstanding Sports Science Academic in 2017 and 2018 as well as Silk Sports Award for the Outstanding Academic Achiever of 2018. He is also chosen the first in the “Order of Merit” of the Kotelawala Defence University Convocation for his doctoral thesis on “strategies to win elite medals for Sri Lanka in sports.”

He 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. Interested in the dissemination of the 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 on all sports. He serves as an Associate Professor at the Institute of Sports Management.