Sri Lanka NOC Secretary General Maxwell de Silva throws down 30 per cent female representation challenge

Manama, Bahrain, October 31, 2022: The Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, Maxwell de Silva, threw down a gauntlet to his peers asking them to walk the talk and have at least 30 per cent female representation on NOC executive boards.

During a Q&A session at the OCA Gender Equity Seminar the outspoken Sri Lankan NOC Secretary General said it was time to stop talking and instead start acting by increasing female representation on all national sporting governing bodies.

“We talk, but then do nothing. I ask all the NOCs here today to have at least 30 per cent female representation in your organisations. The Sri Lanka NOC has achieved this target, I ask you all to do the same,” De Silva pointed out.

Earlier in the seminar, the head of the IOC Olympics Values Unit, Nils Holmegaard had urged NOCs to follow the IOC’s recommendation for 30 per cent female representation.

“It is difficult to change that in a short time but it is possible that you want to lead by having at least 30 per cent that are women. Only four NOCs in Asia have achieved that,” Holmegaard said.

Sri Lanka is one of the four. De Silva has now called on the others – 42 Asian NOCs are represented at this seminar - to follow suit.