Gamini Jayasinghe - Sri Lankan Team Chef-de-Mission

by Leslie FERNANDO

SA GAMES: Gamini Jayasinghe, a former Dharmaraja College allround sportsman, national trophy player and one of the most experienced sports administrators, has been named as the Chef-de-Mission of the Sri Lanka contingent for the 11th edition of the South Asian Games to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 29th January to 8th February.

Gamini Jayasinghe - Sri Lanka Team Chef de Mission at SA Games.

Gamini's selection was an automatic choice by the NOC and the Sports Development Department of the Ministry of Sports.

Popularly known as Gamini, he told the Sunday Observer that he is very happy about his appointment. All facilities will be provided to the competitors in the various Sri Lanka teams for the 11th SAG for training.

Our competitors' aim is to do better than that they did in 2006 Colombo Games. Now all the sportsmen and women, coaches and officials must work diligently to bring victory to the country, Gamini Jayasinghe said, and added that sport instils discipline in the participants. It teaches all to accept victory and defeat. Everyone, irrespective of his status, has to perform in a team - and sport can bring unity to our country. Gamini said that the countdown is 34 days more to go for SAG (to start - 29th January) and he wished all the competitors well.

He is the Treasurer of the National Olympic Committee since 2002 and presently employed as the Superintendent of Prisons, Galle.

Gamini represented Dharmaraja College, Kandy in hockey, cricket and football and went on to captain all three disciplines.

He was a top class hockey player, represented the Kandy Hockey and FC for several years. He has played for national hockey team against India Pakistan and Singapore. Has gone on several hockey tours with the Sri Lanka team. He has captained the Prisons Department and State Services hockey teams.He was an international hockey umpire and had officiated in the Asia Cup in 1997, National Championships and International Tournaments abroad. He officiated as judge in the Asian Tournaments in Singapore, India and Malaysia.

Gamini is the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation since 1999 to date. Vice President of the State Services Hockey Association since 1998 and Treasurer of the Handball Federation of Sri Lanka.

He has followed Asian Hockey Federation umpiring and coaching IHE - Development and Coaching Olympic Solidarity Course.