The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC SL), in
collaboration with the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency and the Ministry of Sports, yesterday (15)
launched the first official preparation initiative for Team Sri Lanka ahead of the 3 rd Asian Youth
Games (AYG) Bahrain 2025. The Anti-Doping and Safeguarding Workshop, held at the Duncan
White Auditorium, Ministry of Sports, marked the commencement of the team’s build-up
towards the prestigious continental event.
The program commenced with the preliminary introduction of the Team Officials of Team Sri
Lanka for AYG 2025, followed by a series of expert-led sessions designed to prepare athletes for
clean, fair, and safe competition. Mr. Chamath Srinika, Assistant Director of the Sri Lanka Anti-
Doping Agency, delivered an in-depth presentation on anti-doping, stressing the importance of
integrity in sport and strict compliance with international regulations.
The Safeguarding segment was jointly conducted by Mrs. Niloo Jayatilake, Vice President of
NOC SL and Chairperson of the Gender Equity Committee of NOC SL, along with Mr.
Sivarajah Gobinath and Ms. Hiruni Munasinghe, IOC Certified Safeguarding Officers. They
outlined key measures to ensure the welfare and protection of athletes. Mr. Gobinath also led a
session on Prevention of Manipulation of Competitions (PMC), where he emphasized the
importance of integrity in sport and raised awareness on the risks of approaches made to athletes
or officials, encouraging them to report such incidents immediately.
The workshop was attended by prominent dignitaries, including NOC SL President Mr. Suresh
Subramaniam; Secretary General Mr. Rifdy Fahmy; Chairman of the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping
Agency Mr. Lalisha Kahatapitiya; Director of the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency Dr. Shiromi
Pilapitiya; Chef-de-Mission of Team Sri Lanka Rear Admiral Manjula Dissanayake; and medical
officials of Team Sri Lanka Dr. Fariz Ahamed, Dr. K. A. P. Kiriella, and Ms. Awarjana De Silva,
together with team officials and athletes.
The 3 rd Asian Youth Games will be held in Bahrain from the 22 nd to the 31 st of October 2025,
bringing together young athletes from across Asia to compete in a spirit of unity, fair play, and
mutual respect.
The 3rd Asian Youth Games will be held in Manama, Bahrain, from October 22 to 31, 2025. This marks the first time Bahrain is hosting the event, which will feature 24 sports with over 3,500 athletes from 42 Asian countries. The games will include the newly added sport of camel racing, recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
Key Details:
Dates: October 22 – 31, 2025
Location: Manama, Bahrain
Organizer: Olympic Council of Asia (OCA)
Sports: 24 sports, including boxing for the first time in the Asian Youth Games and camel racing.
Participants: Over 3,500 athletes from 42 Asian countries.
Significance: The games are a landmark event for Bahrain and will serve as a platform for young athletes to showcase their talent on a continental stage, with some sports also serving as qualifying events for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
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