“Sports is a part of every man and woman’s heritage and its absence can never be compensated for” – Pierre de Coubertin
In keeping with the thoughts of Pierre de Coubertin – Founder of the modern Olympics, the Sri Lanka Air Force has given a key position for Sports in the Sri Lanka Air Force. Thus, the Sports Board dates back to the era of the Royal Ceylon Air Force. The first known Official of the Sports Board was Flight Lieutenant H Renshaw, who was the Secretary of the Air Force Sports Board from 1954 to 1955. The first President of the Air Force Sports Board being Wing Commander AE Dale (1958).
In the year 1977, the Sports Board was renamed as the Air Force Sports Council. Sports in the SLAF was given an even more significance with the Commander of the Air Force taking on the appointment of the President of the Air Force Sports Council. Thus, AVM WDHSW Goonethilake keen sportsman himself became the first Commander of the Air Force to hold the appointment of the President of the Air Force Sports Council, a tradition which has continued to date.
| Past Presidents of the Sports Board | ||
| Wg Cdr | AE Dale | 1958 |
| Sqn Ldr | PG Walpita | 1959 |
| Sqn Ldr | SN Samarasinghe | 1960-1963 |
| Wg Cdr | WMK Wijethunga | 1964 |
| Wg Cdr | DD De Senavirathna | 1965 |
| Wg Cdr | PH Mendis | 1966-1968 |
| Sqn Ldr | WDHSW Goonatilleke | 1969-1970 |
| Sqn Ldr | JTR Fernando | 1971-1973 |
| Wg Cdr | S Gunasinghe | 1974-1976 |
| Past Presidents of the Air Force Sports Council |
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| AVM | WDHSW Goonatilleke | 1977-1981 |
| AVM | DC Perera | 1981-1985 |
| Air Marshal | AW Fernando | 1985-1990 |
| Air Marshal | MJTDeS Gunawardana | 1990-1994 |
| Air Marshal | OM Ranasinghe | 1994-1998 |
| Air Marshal | J Weerakkody | 1998-2002 |
| Air Marshal | GD Perera | 2002-2006 |
| Air Marshal | WDRMJ Goonatilleke | 2006-2009 |
| ACM | WDRMJ Goonathilleke | 2009-2011 |
| Air Marshal | HD Abeywicrama | 2011-2014 |
| Air Marshal | KA Gunatilleke | 2014-2015 |
| Air Marshal | GP Bulathsinhala | 2015-2016 |
| Air Marshal | KVB JAYAMPATHY | 2016-2019 |
| Past Secretaries of the Sports Board | ||
| Flt Lt | H Renshaw | 1954-1955 |
| Fg Off | MAA Johnpulle | 1956-1957 |
| Flt Lt | KS Shanmuganathan | 1959-1960 |
| Flt Lt | DBS Weerarathna | 1961-1963 |
| Flt Lt | JPR Fernando | 1964-1967 |
| Flt Lt | SAA Ebert | 1968-1969 |
| Flt Lt | EY Buell | 1969-1970 |
| Fg Off | DM De Senvirathna | 1971-1972 |
| Fg Off | MP Wijesuriya | 1972 |
| Fg Off | MY Walpita | 1972 |
| Sqn Ldr | RM Wickramasinghe | 1972-1973 |
| Flt Lt | MY Walpita | 1974-1976 |
| Past Secretaries of the Air Force Sports Council | ||
| Flt Lt | DM De Senevirathna | 1977-1978 |
| Fg Off | R Arunthavanathan | 1978 |
| Sqn Ldr | MP Wijesooriya | 1978-1979 |
| Sq Ldr | ND De Zoysa | 1979-1980 |
| Flt Lt | ANCW Jayasekara | 1980-1981 |
| Sq Ldr | R� Arunthavanathan | 1983-1986 |
| Sqn Ldr | NL De Silva | 1987-1988 |
| Fg Off | JAR De Silva | 1989-1990 |
| Flt Lt | DHH Perera | 1990-1991 |
| Fg Off | HN Abeysinghe | 1991 |
| Flt Lt | JAR De Silva | 1992-1993 |
| Gp Capt | NL De Silva | 1994-1997 |
| Wg Cdr | K Yahampath | 1997-1998 |
| Wg Cdr | MFJ Hassim | 1998-2000 |
| Wg Cdr | JAR De Silva | 2000-2002 |
| Wg Cdr | KVNJ Dharmadasa | 2002-2006 |
| Wg Cdr | NP Jayathilake | 2006-2007 |
| Gp Capt | OFHV Fernando | 2007-2008 |
| Gp Capt | RS Biyanwila | 2008-2014 |
| Wg Cdr | PN De Costa | 2014-2016 |
| Gp Capt | PN De Costa | 2016-2019 |