Prema Pinnawala a name synonymous with sports administration is Sri Lanka, has decided to call it a day after serving for 50 long years. His last position was the General Secretary of Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) where he served the longest. He has also served in a similar capacity with the NOC for 13 years.
Pinnawala has taken this decision due to health and personal reasons and resigned from the post of Secretary of SLA on February 1.
He could be regarded as a veteran sports administrator who played a big role in Sri Lanka hosting the SAF Games in 1991 and 2006. He also had the opportunity of playing a role in staging the Asian Athletic Championships for junior and seniors.
During his tenure as secretary of NOCSL and SLA, he played a key role to provide many privileges for sports in this country by working closely with the IAAF, IOC and the AAA (Asian Athletic Association) administration.
He is the only sports administrator in Sri Lanka to have participated as an official in NOCSL or SLA from the 1984 Seoul Olympics to the 2016 Rio Olympics. He even had the privilege of conducting seminars in other countries under the instructions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Having participated in athletics, cricket, boxing and football during his school and university days, Pinnawala served as the president of the Nationalised Services Athletic Association and Nationalised Services Hockey Association for more than 10 years.
He was recently awarded an Honorary Life Member Award by the NOCSL for his service to Sri Lankan sports.