The Hon. Sunil Rajapaksha

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to speak on the amendments to the 2013 No. 33 Convention Against Doping in Sport Act. Our objective is to protect sport and athletes. It is noteworthy that an internationally renowned athlete, tested over a hundred times for anti-doping, is involved in this work, underscoring its seriousness.

¶ 02 We must develop sport from school to professional levels, to bring national and international glory and economic benefits. Compliance with international standards is vital; otherwise, we face disgrace and sanctions. According to the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Organization (SLADO), sanctions were imposed on 2 athletes in 2020, 4 in 2021, 5 in 2022, 4 in 2023, and among 160 tests in 2024, three positives were found. This shows persistent violations despite existing frameworks, requiring alignment with WADA’s updated requirements and strengthening SLADO to be internationally recognized.

¶ 03 Historically, doping control began in 1928 in Finland; national agencies evolved, and WADA was founded in 1999. Until 2013, anti-doping functions were handled by the Sports Medicine Institute; the 2013 Act established SLADO. The present amendments move SLADO toward WADA compliance. SLADO’s duties include legislating and implementing anti-doping rules; education; sample collection by trained officers; testing; and results management. Beyond law, we must invest in physical infrastructure, human resources, and processes. Currently, we lack accredited labs and send samples abroad; we must remedy this to support our international ambitions.

¶ 04 Finally, I regret that misinformation about an unpassed bill created public panic among students, parents, and teachers via social media. There is already Circular 2016/12 guiding school discipline and existing legal frameworks addressing corporal punishment. Spreading falsehoods is unfortunate. I conclude.

¶ 05 Thank you.