National sports associations of Sri Lanka

Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka

When exactly boxing was introduced as a sport to Sri lanka is not very clear but the British Armed Forces who were stationed in Colombo at the beginning of the 20th century are said to have introduced it.

The game however may not have been in an organised manner as it is today because according to records, the British military personnel have indulged in this sport only to keep themselves physically fit. The records of the famous Stubbs Shield indicate that in 1911, some boxing enthusiasts of British and local origin engaged in boxing at the Police Young Men’s Christian Association and YMCA rings at Colombo, Fort.

In 1914 an association called the United Services Boxing Association Ceylon (USBAC) an amalgamation of the three armed services, controlled boxing in the country. Around the same time the Central YMCA and certain government departments like the police, railway and prisons too took to the sport.

But, they were not permitted to participate at the USBAC organised championships. This led to the dissolution of the USBAC and formation of a new administrative structure named as the Amateur Boxing Association of Ceylon, in 1926 at a meeting held at the Centre YMCA, Colombo, Fort.

In 1993 in keeping with the new constitution of the state and the requirements, the Amateur Boxing Association of Ceylon was renamed as the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka.

It is now a member of the world body - ABA and the Asian body FAAB. Boxing was a big game in Sri Lanka and has produced many great boxers. In its history, versatile pugilists(boxers) like Donald Obeysekera, Danton Gemunu Obeysekera, Edward Ian Gray, Albert Perera, Leslie Handunge, and the Jayasuriya brothers and are cherished names.

Danton Obeysekera, a Cambridge Blue and a Barrister-at-law, Inner Temple, London is honoured as the man who was instrumental in introducing boxing to schools through Royal College in 1912. The Schools Boxing Association was formed in 1935 at Royal College with the principal L.H.W.

Sampson, a British being the president. L.V. Gooneratne, who became the Mayor of Dehiwala Town Council and was a teacher at Royal College then, became the secretary and another teacher at Royal, F.D. Wijesinghe was elected the treasurer.

The country’s first ever international victory (Gold feather weight) was recorded by A.W. Henricus in 1938, at the Empire Games in Australia.

-Leslie Fernando Senior sports writer