A three-cornered tussle for the top post of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka (NFSL) is expected to take place when incumbent President Lakskmi Victoria, ex-President Tamara Dharmakirti-Herath and Olivia Gamage vie for the presidency during its annual election scheduled for Thursday (30).
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is slated to be held at the Duncan White Auditorium of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.
When nominations closed for the upcoming AGM on 22 April, the aforesaid trio had submitted their nominations to contest the top post, with all three having been elected to the coveted post previously.
Victoria, a well-known administrator, is also a former Senior Manager of the People’s Bank and a Volunteer Lieutenant of the Sri Lanka Army, and has been actively involved in the development of netball in the past few years. She also functions currently as the President of the Asian Netball Federation, which is now known as Asia Netball (AN).
Former national player and ex-President of the NFSL Dharmakirti-Herath has also helmed the AN.
Gamage, a retired Director of Sports attached to the Ministry of Education, too has been a former President of the NFSL.
Members of 32 district associations affiliated with the NFSL are due to cast their votes to elect the new office bearers during this week’s AGM. A Deputy President, four Vice Presidents, a Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Tournament Secretary are also due to be elected.
The three-member netball Election Committee is headed by retired High Court Judge Wimal Nambuwasam (Chairman), while the others are C. Rathnamudali and Padmajina Siriwardana.
The immediate task for the new office bearers of the NFSL will be to prepare the national team for this September’s 13th Asian Netball Championship (ANC) to be held in Saudi Arabia. Sri Lanka, who are the defending champions, are currently undergoing intense training ahead of the ANC.
The nominations received by the NFSL are as follows:
- President: (1) Thamara Dharmakirti-Herath, Lakshmi Victoria, and Olivia Gamage
- Deputy President: (1) Vajira Nettikumara and Champa Ranjani
- Vice-Presidents: (4) K.A.S. Kuruppu, T.M.P. Kumarihamy, S. Surentani, Kumuduni Gomez, J.MT.N. Dissanayake, H.W.C.W. Gunawardena, D.R.P. Liyanage, and Ranjani Christalin
- Secretary: (1) Sanjeewani Wanasinghe and Layani Renuka
- Assistant Secretary: (1) Hirishika Gunasekara and Sharma Cooray
- Treasurer: (1) M.J.K.S. Jayasooriya and P.J. Horanage
- Assistant Treasurer: (1) E.K.A. Himali and P.D. Sumithra
- Tournament Secretary: (1) Priyanka Peiris and H.P.M. Perera