World athletic chief meets President Rajapaksa [October 20 2008]

IAAF President Lamine Diack, who is on a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka, met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees today. President Rajapaksa who hosted the world athletic team for lunch, has a long discussion which lasted for nearly one and half hours.

The IAAF President Diack, who was the Senior Vice President of the IAAF when President Rajapaksa was heading the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka (AASL) said he is happy to see one of the former President of an IAAF member federation becoming a Head of State.

Diack who visited Diyagama by air earlier in the day, pledged support to Sri Lanka's new International Athletic Stadium project and commended the achievements of Sri Lanka as an emerging athletic force in the world. Later in the evening, the visiting IAAF President addressed Sri Lanka's national athletes and coaches at the National Olympic House in Torrington Square.