[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The National Shooting Sport Federation of Sri Lanka (NSSF) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 2020 at the Mega Pharma Auditorium in Kohuwala on August 28. The objective of the AGM, held with the participation of the affiliates of NSSF, was to table the annual report and the account reports audited by the Auditor General.

Representing the Ministry of Sports as an observer, Gamini Costa, the Project Officer for shooting sports, commenting on the AGM conducted by the NSSF, stated that all proceedings were completed without any hindrance under a friendly atmosphere.

“The AGM was conducted smoothly and the account reports and the annual report tabled were adopted and approved without any objections. As usual, it’s an overwhelming sight for any officer from the Ministry of Sport to come in as an observer of one of its affiliated bodies, which maintains good relationship among themselves and upholds camaraderie,” Costa said.

With the enduring COVID-19 pandemic halting almost all sports activities across the country since March earlier this year, the NSSF too was one of the sports bodies highly affected. The NSSF shooting calendar for 2020, which committed 10 local and 11 international meets, was limited to only one international event this year.

NSSF President Shirantha Peries was optimistic that the current developments taking place post-COVID era, would ideally give them hope of conducting at least the most important local events lined up for 2020.

“The final decisions on the events that would happen during the remainder of this year, will be taken at the relevant committee meetings. We can guarantee that shooting events will happen and the final list of events will be revealed very soon,” he stated.

Among the 10 local meets planned for 2020 four Rifle, Pistol and Air Gun competitions were to be held at the SLNS Gemunu Range in Welisara with the remaining six — all Trap and Skeet Shot Gun competitions, slotted to be held at the Shooting Range in Payagala, where a post-COVID revival event was held on August 15 for members of Clay Target Shooting Club of Colombo.

The Sports Ministry official assured that he would put his fullest effort to ensure that the NSSF fulfills its mission of obtaining a national shooting range, a venture initiated by the incumbent president Peries in 2015. The project has gone through five different Ministers of Sports ever since and now has come to a standstill.

However, considering the current surroundings of the country, the NSSF President stated that the local governing body of shooting sports is highly convinced to hold the AGM successfully and more focused on getting the shooters and activities back on track.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]