To be the leader in sports in Asia ….
- 1. Formulation of policies, relevant subjects of Departments and statutory institutions in relation to the subject of sport.
- 2. Taking necessary action to encourage sports activities and provision of necessary infrastructure facilities in order to achieve desired tasks
- 3. Promotion of sports education.
- 4. Work out new methodologies and programmes in order to make use of the sport to build Sri Lanka’s image internationally.
- 5. Promotion of necessary facilities and coordination whch is imperative for physical fitness of the general public.
- 6. All other activities relevant to the subjects assigned to the associate Departments, statutory bodies and public corporations affiliated to the Ministry of Sports.
- 7. Supervision of associated departments, statutory bodies and public corporations affiliated to the Ministry of Sports.
The Ministry of Sports was established by extra ordinary Gazette of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka No. 1651/20 dated 30th April 2010. Accordingly, the functions of the Ministry of Sports are as follows.-
- Formulation of policies, plans and programmes of sports in respect of the National Policies of the Government
- Direction of the implementation of such policies, plans and programmes of sports with a view to achieving the relevant objectives within times lines agreed with the National Planning Authorities and within budget resources.
- Encouraging of sports
- Development of sports facilities
- Enhancement of Sports Education
Several institutions have been established under the Ministry of Sports in order to accomplish the above tasks
Until 1948, a sport was used only for the enjoyment of imperialists and they had formed sports clubs for their own use and public funds were spent for their development. Similarly, there were informal sports in villages but they enjoyed neither recognition nor did they flow down to the lower levels. About two decades after the independence, sport was recognized as a field of human interest which could lead to international recognition. Accordingly for the first time, sport was identified as a subject under the Ministry of Nationalized Services in 1966. Similarly the sports division, which was established at the Secretariat building in Fort was shifted to the office of the Sports Development Department at Torrington on 5th January 1966. The government of the day having realized that sports should be started at the school level, recruited 150 Health Education Instructors through the Department of Education and were attached to schools at Assistance Government Agent Division levels. Accordingly, Hon. V.A.Sugathadasa who was the first Sports Minister showed the contribution of sports for the protection of health by supplying sports equipment and infrastructure facilities.
Sports in Sri Lanka started in this manner has become a strong media today, capable of taking the name of Sri Lanka to the international arena by the committed sports men and women of Sri Lanka. In order to shoulder this responsibility, 53 sports associations have been registered under the Department of Sports Development in addition to line institutes established under the Ministry of Sports.