Rear Admiral Fernando tipped to become AASL Secretary

Rear Admiral Shemal Fernando of Sri Lanka Navy Athletics Club is tipped to win the contest for post of Secretary at the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka AGM to be held at the National Sports Institute, Colombo 7 today.

A product of Royal College, Colombo, Rear Admiral Fernando has been a versatile athlete during his day, steering his alma mater to many victories.

He has been involved with athletics for 41 long years, initially as an athlete taking to sports at the age of nine years and later as an athletic administrator with a proven track record.

He has been serving the AASL since 1986, initially as a Executive Committee Member and lately as a Vice President (since 2002).

Over 25 clubs have so far extended support for his candidacy as the combination of Chairman of Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Navy athletics with Major General Daya Ratnayake will be the most fruitful for Sri Lanka athletics. Major General Ratnayake will be uncontested for the post of President.

Rear Admiral Fernando has the honour of taking Navy sports to new heights as the first Olympian (Sumeda Fernando 400m) in the history of Sri Lanka Navy was produced during his tenure as the Chairman Athletics of SLN. Even during his tenure as Chairman of Athletics, Defence Services, Sri Lanka produced the first medal winner at World Military Games (Jani Chathurangani Silva 100m).

An outstanding Public Schools athlete during his era, Rear Admiral Fernando has also served the Chairman of the AASL Competitions Committee from 2002 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2012.

He was instrumental in organizing AASL meets, maintaining high standards. He was also the Chairman of the Medal Awarding Committees of both 10th South Asian Games and 2011 South Asian Beach Games.

He will be contested by Prema Pinnawale who has been in sports administration for nearly four decades. Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry officials were yesterday scrutinizing his eligibility to contest the AASL elections as he has only produced a certificate to claim that he had taken part in a dual meet between the then University of Ceylon and a local athletic club.

According to the National Sports Act and the AASL Constitution, only those have competed at a major athletics competition approved by the AASL are eligible to seek election. The only exception is for the post of treasurer.