Nelka Shiromala, a women Inspector of Police attached to Kollupitiya Police station will create history by becoming the first Sri Lankan boxing referee to officiate at a Commonwealth Games when the big event commences in Gold Coast, Australia next April. She represented the Police boxing team in 2002 as the first woman Police boxing team member. She is also the first lady Police officer to represent Sri Lanka in boxing at international level.
In 2009 she took up to the refereeing and in 2011 became the first Sri Lankan women referee to officiate at an international event when she was invited to officiate 2011 London Olympic test event where she was awarded with a two star qualification just within six months of international refereeing.
Later she advanced as a 3 star referee and World Series Boxing (WSB) referee affiliated to the world boxing governing body, Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur (AIBA).
She also has the honor of being the first WSB women referee in the South East Asia. She has referred in four World Championships, four Asian Championships, Asian Olympic Qualifying event, six Professional Boxing events, Youth Commonwealth Games and many more international events during the last six years. She won the Best Referee in Asia award for 2017 becoming the first lady referee to win the prestigious award in Asian boxing history.
Her credentials have brought honour to Sri Lanka in the international scene, but sadly not appreciated with due recognition by the local sports fraternity and the Police Department.
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