Three SL badminton umpires for Tokyo Para Games

By Susil Premalal

Three Sri Lankan badminton umpires will officiate at the Tokyo Paralympics Games from August 30 to September 5. 

Lakpriya Edirisinghe has been appointed as Chief Umpire, while Samantha Nawaratne and Chandana Nilantha have been appointed as line judges.  

This is the first time that badminton will be held at the Para Games.

International Umpire Edirisinghe is accredited with the BWF and has studied BAC Umpiring at the Badminton Asia Confederation. A former student of Asoka MV, Colombo, he has officiated in more than 100 international badminton tournaments, including Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympic Games and in three World Badminton Championships as an umpire and technical official.

Meanwhile, Nawaratne started badminton from the JEDB and later became Sri Lanka’s first International Badminton Umpire in 1995 and became Sri Lanka’s first Women’s badminton referee in 2013.

Nilantha, a past student of Lumbini College, Colombo, first officiated at the SAF Badminton Tournament in 1992. He was later appointed as an International Certified Umpire in 2006 and has officiated in several foreign tournaments.

• Lakpriya Edirisinghe has been appointed as Chief Umpire, while Samantha Nawaratne and Chandana Nilantha have been appointed as line judges