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Road to Football Glory: Team Dacshitha Unveils Unwavering Commitment to FFSL

In a significant announcement at the “Road to Football Glory” Media Conference, Team Dacshitha has reaffirmed its steadfast resolve to proceed as planned in the upcoming Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) elections. Team Dacshitha will proudly field 13 candidates, presenting a united front to the football stakeholders.
Presidential Candidate Dacshitha Sumathipala: “I am confident that I will take my place as FFSL President on September 30, 2023. It’s crucial to consider the FFSL Statutes and the requests of the Electoral and Appeal Committee, along with the way their interpretations have unfolded. It’s important to note that this election will proceed based on the list, not individual posts.”
Vice Presidential Candidate Rohitha Fernando: “We stand as one cohesive team, fully confident in our ability to secure victory. The football leagues are well aware of the challenges our sport has faced and who is accountable for them.”
Executive Committee Candidate T Suthagar: “Coming from a banking background, I assure you that we will put an end to corruption in football starting September 30.”
Executive Committee Female Candidate Hashini Ariyarathne: “As a former National player, I’m acutely aware of the stagnation in women’s football development. We will implement a comprehensive plan to revitalize women’s football and ensure it follows the right path.”
Executive Committee Candidate U Nihal Perera: “As an Attorney at Law, I must express concerns about the perceived bias in the decisions of the Electoral and Appeal Committee, which appears to favor another individual.”
In a collective statement, Team Dacshitha emphasized their commitment to moving forward with their planned initiatives, highlighting the urgency of reforming Sri Lankan football
The “Road to Football Glory” Media Conference provided a platform for Team Dacshitha to address the football stakeholders and communicate their unwavering dedication to the sport’s betterment. With a unified vision and a determined team, they are poised to lead Sri Lankan football into a new era.
About Team Dacshitha
Team Dacshitha comprises a diverse group of individuals dedicated to rejuvenating Sri Lankan football. Their collective vision and mission aim to bring about a positive transformation within the sport, ensuring its growth, integrity, and success.
ශ්රී ලංකා පාපන්දු සම්මේලනය වෙත යන ගමනේ පෙර ගමන්කරු ලෙස නොසැලෙන කැපවීමෙන් සහ අධිෂ්ඨානයෙන් ඉදිරියටම යන දක්ෂිත කණ්ඩායම
පාපන්දු අභිමානය කරා යන ගමනේ මාධය හමුවේදි සැළකිය යුතු නිවේදනයක් නිකුත් කරමින් දක්ෂිත කණ්ඩායම එළැඹෙන ශ්රී ලංකා පාපන්දු සම්මේලනයේ නිළවරණයේ දි සැළසුම් කර ඇති පරිදි ඉදිරියට යාමට සිය ස්ථිර අධිෂ්ඨානය තහවුරු කර ඇත. ශ්රී ලංකා පාපන්දුවේ හෙට දවස උදෙසා තීන්දු තීරණ ගැනීමට දක්ෂ අභිමානවත් අපේක්ෂයන් 13 ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇත.
සභාපති අපේක්ෂක දක්ෂිත සුමතිපාල: 2023 සැප්තැම්බර් 30 වන දින නව සභාපතිවරයා ලෙස මා පත්වන බව මට පූර්ණ විශ්වාසයි. නව ප්රඟප්ති හා මැතිවරණ සහ අභියාචනා කමිටුවේ ඉල්ලීම් සහ ඒවායේ අර්ථකතන දිගහැර ඇති ආකරය සලකා බැලීම ඉතා වැදගත් වේ. මෙම නිළවරණය තනි පුද්ගල තනතුරු නොව ලැයිස්තුව මත පදනම් ව සිදුවනු ඇති බව සැලකිල්ලට ගැනීම වැදගත් ය. ගරා වැටුණු පාපන්දුව නගා සිටුවීමේදි මා පසුපස දැවැන්ත කණ්ඩායමක් ඇත. මෙහිදී අප තාවකාලික භාරකරුවන් මිස අයිතිකරුවන් නොවේ. පාපන්දුව පිරිසිදු කර නිසි පරිපාලනයකින් යුතුව ගොඩනගන්නාවූ ශ්රී ලංකා පාපන්දුව අනාගත පරපුරට භාරදීමේ වගකීම අප සතුව ඇත.
උප සභාපති අපේක්ෂක රෝහිත ප්රනාන්දු: අපි එක ඒකාබද්ධ කණ්ඩායමක් ලෙස නැගී සිටින්නෙමු. ජයග්රහණය තහවුරු කර ගැනීමට අපට ඇති හැකියාව ගැන පූර්ණ විශ්වාසයක් ඇත. අපගේ ක්රීඩාව මුහුණ දී ඇති අභියෝග සහ ඒවාට වගකිව යුත්තේ කවුරුන්ද යන්න පාපන්දු ලීග හොඳින් දනී.
විධායක කමිටු අපේක්ෂක ටී. සුතාගර්: මම බැංකු වෘතිකයෙක් වෙමි. මා බැංකු ක්ෂේත්රයේ ලැබූ අත්දැකීම් තුළ හොරකමේ ආදිනව අත්දැක ඇත. එය ක්රීඩාවක් තුලට පැමිණීම ඉතා ඛේදනීයයි. සැප්තැම්බර් 30 වන දින සිට පාපන්දු ක්රීඩාවේ දූෂණයට තිත තබන බව මම ඔබට සහතික වෙමි.
විධායක කමිටු කාන්තා අපේක්ෂක හෂිනි ආරියරත්න: හිටපු ජාතික කණ්ඩායම් ක්රීඩිකාවක් ලෙස කාන්තා පාපන්දු සංවර්ධනයේ එකතැන පල්වීම පිළිබඳව මම දැඩි ලෙස කනගාටු වෙමි. කාන්තා පාපන්දු ක්රීඩාව පුනර්ජීවනය කිරීමට සහ එය නිවැරදි මාවතට යන බවට සහතික කිරීමට අපි පුළුල් සැලැස්මක් ක්රියාත්මක කරන්නෙමු.
විධායක කමිටු අපේක්ෂක යූ. නිහාල් පෙරේරා: නීතිඥයෙකු ලෙස මැතිවරණ හා අභියාචනා කමිටුවේ තීරණ වල වෙනත් පුද්ගලයෙකුට වාසිදායක ලෙස පෙනෙන පක්ෂාග්රාහිත්වය ගැන මම කනස්සල්ල පළකල යුතුයි. මෙය ක්රීඩාවේ ජීව ගුණයට හානිදායක වන බවට මාගේ විශ්වාසයයි.
සාමූහික ප්රකාශයක් නිකුත් කරමින්, දක්ෂිත කණ්ඩායම ශ්රී ලංකා පාපන්දු ක්රීඩාව ප්රතිසංස්කරණය කිරීමේ හදිසි අවශ්යතාවය ඉස්මතු කරමින් ඔවුන්ගේ සැලසුම් සහගත මූලික අඩිතාලම සමඟ ඉදිරියට යාමට ඔවුන්ගේ කැපවීම අවධාරණය කළේය.
මාධ්ය හමුව මඟින් දක්ෂිත කණ්ඩායමට පාපන්දු පාර්ශව කරුවන් ඇමතීමට හා ක්රීඩාවේ උන්නතිය සඳහා ඔවුන්ගේ නොසැලෙන කැපවීම සන්නිවේදනය කිරීමට සලසාදෙන ලදී. ඒකාබද්ධ දැක්මක් සහ අධිෂ්ඨානශීලී කණ්ඩායමක් සමඟින් ඔවුන් ශ්රී ලංකා පාපන්දු ක්රීඩාව නව යුගයකට ගෙනයාමට සූදානමින් සිටියි.
දක්ෂිත සමඟ කණ්ඩායම විවිධ හැකියාවලින් පෝෂණය වූ පුද්ගලයින් සමූහයකින් සමන්විත වූ අභිමානවත් පිරිසකි. ශ්රී ලංකා පාපන්දු මහගෙදරේ කැනිමඩල ගිනිගෙන ඇති මොහොතේ එය නිවා පෝෂණය කරමින් සුපෝෂණය කර ජාතික තලයේ ජයග්රහණ රට තුළට ගෙන ඒම අප සමූහයේ එක් විශේෂ අරමුණක් වේ.
கால்பந்தாட்ட சுபிட்சத்தை நோக்கி (“Road to Football Glory” ): இலங்கை கால்பந்து சம்மேளனத்திற்கான அசைக்க முடியாத உறுதிப்பாட்டை தக்க்ஷிதா அணி வெளிப்படுத்துகிறது
“கால்பந்தாட்டத்தின் மகிமைக்கான பாதை” (“Road to Football Glory” ): ஊடக மாநாட்டில் ஒரு குறிப்பிடத்தக்க அறிவிப்பில், இலங்கை கால்பந்து சம்மேளனத்தின் (FFSL) தேர்தலில் திட்டமிட்டபடி தொடரும் உறுதியான தீர்மானத்தை தக்க்ஷிதா அணி மீண்டும் உறுதி செய்துள்ளது. தக்~pத அணி 13 வேட்பாளர்களை பெருமையுடன் களமிறக்கியுள்ளதுடன், கால்பந்து பங்குதாரர்களை ஒன்றிணைக்கும் முகமாக ஐக்கிய முன்னணியை முன்வைத்துள்ளது.
தலைவர் பதவிக்குரிய வேற்பாளர் தக்க்ஷிதா சுமதிபால: “செப்டம்பர் 30, 2023 அன்று குகுளுடு தலைவராக நான் பதவியேற்பேன் என்று நான் உறுதியாக நம்புகிறேன். இதன்போது குகுளுடு சட்டங்கள், தேர்தல் மற்றும் மேல்முறையீட்டுக் குழுவின் கோரிக்கைகள், அவற்றின் விளக்கங்கள் வெளிப்பட்ட விதம் ஆகியவற்றைக் கருத்தில் கொள்வது மிகவும் முக்கியமான விடயமாகும்;. இந்தத் தேர்தல் தனிப்பட்ட பதவிகளுக்குரியதல்ல, இது பட்டியலின் அடிப்படையில் நடைபெறும் என்பதும் குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.
உப தலைவர் வேட்பாளர் ரோஹித பெர்னாண்டோ: “நாங்கள் ஒரு ஒருங்கிணைந்த அணியாக நிற்கிறோம், வெற்றியைப் பெறுவதற்கான எங்கள் திறமையில் முழு நம்பிக்கையுடன் இருக்கிறோம். கால்பந்து லீக்குகள் எங்கள் விளையாட்டு எதிர்கொண்ட சவால்கள் மற்றும் அதற்கு யார் பொறுப்பு என்பது பற்றி நன்கு அறியும்.”
செயற்குழு வேட்பாளர் டி. சுதாகர்: “வங்கி பின்னணியில் இருந்து வருவதால், செப்டம்பர் 30 முதல் கால்பந்து ஊழலுக்கு முற்றுப்புள்ளி வைப்போம் என்று நான் உங்களுக்கு உறுதியளிக்கிறேன்.”
நிறைவேற்று செயற்குழு பெண் வேட்பாளர் ஹாஷினி ஆரியரத்ன: “முன்னாள் தேசிய வீராங்கனை என்ற முறையில், பெண்கள் கால்பந்து துறையில் உள்ள பின்தங்கிய நிலையினை நான் நன்கு அறிவேன். மகளிர் கால்பந்தை புத்துயிர் பெறச் செய்வதற்கும், அது சரியான பாதையில் செல்வதை உறுதி செய்வதற்கும் விரிவான திட்டத்தை செயல்படுத்துவோம்.”
நிறைவேற்று செயற்குழு வேட்பாளர் யு நிஹால் பெரேரா: “ஒரு சட்டத்தரணி என்ற வகையில், தேர்தல் மற்றும் மேன்முறையீட்டுக் குழுவின் முடிவுகளில் காணப்படும் சார்புநிலை குறித்து நான் கவலைகளை வெளிப்படுத்த வேண்டும், இது மற்றொரு நபருக்கு சாதகமாகத் தோன்றுகிறது.”
ஒரு கூட்டு அறிக்கையில், இலங்கை கால்பந்தாட்டத்தை சீர்திருத்துவதற்கான அவசரத்தை எடுத்துக்காட்டி, தங்களின் திட்டமிட்ட முன்முயற்சிகளுடன் முன்னோக்கிச் செல்வதற்கான உறுதிப்பாட்டை தச்சித அணி வலியுறுத்தியது.
“சுழயன வழ குழழவடியடட புடழசல” மீடியா மாநாடு, தச்சிதா அணிக்கு கால்பந்து பங்குதாரர்களிடம் உரையாடுவதற்கும், விளையாட்டின் மேம்பாட்டிற்கான அவர்களின் அசைக்க முடியாத அர்ப்பணிப்பைத் தெரிவிப்பதற்கும் ஒரு தளத்தை வழங்கியது. ஒன்றிணைந்த பார்வையுடனும் உறுதியான அணியுடனும் இலங்கை கால்பந்தாட்டத்தை புதிய சகாப்தத்திற்கு இட்டுச் செல்ல தயாராக உள்ளனர்.
தக்க்ஷிதா அணி பற்றி
தக்க்ஷிதா அணியானது இலங்கை கால்பந்தாட்டத்துறைக்கு புத்துயிர் வழங்கும் முகமாக அர்ப்பணிப்புடன் செயற்படக்கூடிய பலதரப்பட்ட நபர்களை உள்ளடக்கியது. அவர்களின் கூட்டு நோக்கு மற்றும் பணியானது விளையாட்டிற்குள் ஒரு நேர்மறையான மாற்றத்தைக் கொண்டுவருவதை நோக்கமாகக் கொண்டமை அதன் வளர்ச்சி, ஒருமைப்பாடு மற்றும் வெற்றியை உறுதி செய்கிறது.
Football
SAFF Championship Postponement Exposes Deeper Issues Within FFSL
The much-anticipated SAFF Championship, originally scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka in July 2025, has now been officially postponed to 2026—a move that has raised serious concerns over the competence and credibility of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL).
According to the SAFF Executive Committee, the decision to delay the tournament stemmed largely from pressure exerted by its marketing partner, Sportfive, which advocated for a home-and-away format to increase commercial value. Furthermore, it is reported that Sportfive preferred the event be hosted in Bangladesh or India, citing better sponsor access and commercial feasibility in those countries if the tournament were to follow a centralized model.
However, beyond external pressure, this development highlights a troubling reality: the FFSL’s inability to effectively organize and defend Sri Lanka’s hosting rights on the international stage. This isn’t merely a scheduling issue—it reflects a deeper pattern of administrative shortcomings, lack of vision, and prioritization of media narratives over tangible development.
As previously reported by Sri Lankan Sports TV, the FFSL continues to focus more on optics and media stunts rather than on the foundational work required to uplift football in the country. The failure to safeguard Sri Lanka’s opportunity to host a major regional tournament not only affects the sport’s growth domestically but also damages the nation’s reputation within South Asian football.
For a federation that has long promised reform and transparency, this latest setback exposes how little progress has actually been made. When commercial partners have more sway than the national football body itself, it’s a clear indication that local football governance is being undermined by weak leadership and poor planning.
This should be a wake-up call—not just for the FFSL, but for every stakeholder invested in the future of Sri Lankan football. The time for slogans and staged announcements is over. Sri Lanka needs action, accountability, and genuine commitment to building a sustainable footballing culture. Until then, headlines like this will only continue to reflect a sport lost in mismanagement.
Cricket
Sri Lanka Unveils Balanced Squad for Women’s Tri-Nation ODI Series 2025, Chamari Athapaththu to Lead the Charge
Sri Lanka Cricket has officially announced a strong and balanced 17-member squad for the Women’s Tri-Nation ODI Series 2025, with star batter Chamari Athapaththu set to lead the team. The series, scheduled for next month, will serve as a key preparatory tournament ahead of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025.
Athapaththu, a globally respected all-rounder known for her fearless batting and bold leadership, remains the cornerstone of Sri Lanka Women’s cricket. As captain, she brings not only experience but also explosive firepower at the top of the order.
The Sri Lanka Women’s ODI squad for the tri-nation series blends youth with experience, showcasing the selectors’ vision of developing depth across all departments. Emerging talent Vishmi Gunaratne retains her spot following a solid domestic season, while consistent performers like Harshitha Samarawickrama and Nilakshi Silva will provide stability in the middle order.
All-round strength is a key feature of the squad, with the likes of Kavisha Dilhari and Anushka Sanjeewani (who will also don the gloves as the primary wicketkeeper) offering both batting and bowling options. Batters Hasini Perera and Piumi Wathsala strengthen the order, while promising youngsters Manudi Nanayakkara and Dewmi Vihanga are expected to gain valuable international exposure.
On the bowling front, spin remains Sri Lanka’s biggest weapon, spearheaded by veteran Inoka Ranaweera, with support from Inoshi Fernando and Sugandika Kumari. Their ability to control the game in the middle overs will be vital on slower pitches.
The pace unit will be led by Achini Kulasuriya and Rashmika Sewwandi, both known for their early breakthroughs and death-over effectiveness. All-rounders Malki Madara and Hansima Karunaratne round out the squad, providing versatility and tactical flexibility.
This ODI series is more than just preparation—it’s a chance for Sri Lanka to test its combinations, refine strategies, and build momentum ahead of a major global tournament. With Chamari Athapaththu at the helm and a team full of potential, fans can expect a spirited and competitive campaign.
Sri Lanka Women’s Squad for Tri-Nation ODI Series 2025
Chamari Athapaththu (Captain), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Hasini Perera, Piumi Wathsala, Manudi Nanayakkara, Dewmi Vihanga, Inoka Ranaweera, Inoshi Fernando, Hansima Karunaratne, Rashmika Sewwandi, Malki Madara, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya
News
Sri Lanka Storm Into Asia Rugby Men’s Championship with Dominant Win Over Malaysia
Sri Lanka has officially qualified for the Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2025 after a commanding 59-19 victory over Malaysia, marking a major step forward in their journey toward the Rugby World Cup 2027.
The Tuskers came out charging in this crucial qualifying clash, showcasing a blend of power, pace, and precision as they dismantled the Malaysian defense to book their place among Asia’s top rugby nations. With this win, Sri Lanka joins the elite group set to compete for the continent’s sole direct qualification spot for the Rugby World Cup 2027, to be held in Australia.
What’s Next? The Road to Australia 2027
The Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2025 will be held between June and July 2025, featuring top sides including Hong Kong China, Korea, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates. The winner of the tournament will directly qualify for the Rugby World Cup 2027, while the runner-up will get a second chance through the Asia/Africa Play-Off.
Sri Lanka will now look to prepare for this pivotal tournament, with the goal of becoming the first-ever Sri Lankan team to qualify for a Rugby World Cup.
Global Qualification Overview:
- Europe (4 teams): Semi-finalists from Rugby Europe Men’s Championship 2025.
- Africa (1 team): Winner of Rugby Africa Men’s Cup 2025.
- South America (1 team): Winner of Sudamérica Rugby Championship 2025.
- Pacific (3 teams): Top 3 from the Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (excluding already-qualified Fiji and Japan).
- Asia (1 team): Winner of the Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2025 (which now includes Sri Lanka).
- Final Qualification Tournament (1 team): A round-robin between four remaining contenders from intercontinental play-offs.
As the race to Australia 2027 heats up, Sri Lanka’s emphatic entry into the Asian Championship is a huge statement of intent. The nation’s rugby faithful will be eagerly following the Elephants as they charge toward a historic World Cup debut.
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