Female referee Nelka felicitated in UAE
Dunstan Rosairo (2L) presents the memento at the felicitation held for Shiromala during the professional boxing event while Bandula Ratnapala (C) and officials from UAE also made their presence
Sri Lanka’s first female boxing referee, Nelka Shiromala, received a heartiest welcome in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Middle East Crown Boxing Championship, to which she was invited as a special guest.
The organisers of this professional boxing meet, DJMC Events and New Jersey Boys Boxing Club, invited Shiromala, the now celebrated female boxing referee, who became a sensation after her steadfast approach at the concluded Tokyo Olympics 2020.
She was felicitated by the event organisers in UAE for becoming the first Sri Lankan female boxing referee and more importantly for giving her country the honour in her capacity as an official in amateur boxing.
Shiromala with Riddick Bowe, the world heavyweight champion of 1989 and 1992
This, however, was apparently the first occasion that Shiromala was felicitated for her achievement by any sort, and interestingly the two co-organisers of the professional boxing meet happen to be Sri Lankan born sports enthusiasts.
“I’m really honoured and moved by this occasion. In fact, this was the first time that I received such a felicitation, and that too was beyond my country in the UAE. I really appreciate the initiative made by the organisers of the event there,” Shiromala stated.
At the event, organisers Dunstan Rosairo, the chairman of DMJC Events and Ratnapala, the proprietor of the USA-based New Jersey Boys Boxing Club, had made it clear that they are keen to promote professional boxing among Sri Lankan pugilists and insisted that Shiromala could play an important role in becoming the link between the organisers in UAE and interested athletes from Sri Lanka.
With Amir Khan and Tharindu Madushan
“If this initiative becomes stable, it would be a much looked forward for pathway for Sri Lankan boxers, who are hoping for a breakthrough into professional boxing. These two gentlemen, both born and bred in Sri Lanka, are keen to provide that platform to our local talent. They are also keen to meet the Sports Minister and discuss further on how to make progress. It will be a very good step forward for boxing in Sri Lanka,” she added.
Rosairo, a well established business entrepreneur in the UAE, is an alumni of St. Mary’s College and also a managing director of the middle eastern country’s ruling administration. Ratnapala is a former boxer in Sri Lanka who competed and coached at different levels, before he moved to the USA and followed his dream of forming a boxing club that would produce professional athletes.
The event featured many international boxing stars including former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe of USA and British professional boxer Amir Khan.
Sri Lanka’s Tharindu Madushanka made his debut in professional boxing through the initiative, that would optimistically generate the interest in more local pugilists to take up the next level in boxing in the future.