Implement Sports Law strictly to shape Lankan soccer destiny
It is for the very first time since the inception of the Ministry of Sports in 1965, that a Minister has had the courage and wisdom to sough the Attorney General’s interpretation in connection with the Sports Law of this country. Some of the important points where the Hon. Minister has strongly emphasized and had requested the Attorney General to advice him is indeed a good move for the future development of sports.
Here are some Sports Regulations the Hon. Minister intends to change: Those officials of the sports bodies who has served more than four years in total as President, Secretary, Vice President, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, the Minister believe that such persons shall not be eligible for re-election.
The regulations however allows two two-year terms with the candidates needing Ministry permission to contest the second term. However the regulations does not allow the Minister to permit more than two terms for any one as it clearly states, “Provided that, the period during which a person serves in any one of the said positions, shall not in the aggregate exceed four years.”
In addition the Sports Regulations also empower the Sports Minister to judge one’s contribution to the sports when granting permission for re-election.
Sports Regulations goes on to state that “The Minister may upon a consideration of the tenure of office of the office bearers seeking re-election and in particular under mentioned matters, in consolation with the Director General grant permission for re-election of such persons, for a period of one more term: (a) the extent of involvement in the development of sport at Provincial, District and Divisional level; (b) action taken to (1) uplift the standard of sports to the level of international, Ranking; (2) to increase the level of performance of the respective National Team; (3) to identify talented sports persons; (4) to ensure transparency in sport administration”.
The Minister’s bold decision to implement the Sports Regulation to the letter will certainly see a number of sports administrators losing their seats which they have been occupying for a long period, without any sensible contribution for the development and promotion of the sport.
Some officials having served the two year term; change into some other position to qualify after a break and to resume his old position at the top. In the football Executive Committee the top duo have lived for over twenty years in all these instances the sport they represented have been resting at the sub-regional level at best. Let the new Minister see through these evil schemes and if changes are necessary in the Sports Laws, do to stop this trickery and foolery. Limit the term strictly to two years and no more for National Associations and four years only for the local Olympic Committee. There should be no politicians at any level of sports management they have enough other areas to serve the people. The right of the Minister of Sports to extend any term in the hierarchy should be only an undeniable evidence of achieving Asian Standards in the respective sport. The ball is on your court Sir, and beware of the tempting googlies and penalty shootouts by the cunning scribe.
Most of the Football Leagues affiliated to the Controlling Body are not equipped administratively nor do have any managerial skills to develop their respective Leagues, leaving aside obtaining a seat in the Asian Football Confederation and World Controlling Body – the FIFA. Such is the state of affairs in our football administration.
What good is it to shout from the roof tops of the Football House that we are getting technical and financial assistance from various countries, when our domestic soccer scene is in shambles. A good example is the ongoing Inter-Club FA Cup tournament which the Controlling Body increased the number of clubs from 150 to 600 is in a mess, with number of clubs giving walkovers. Further increasing the 48 paper leagues affiliated to the Controlling Body was increased to 72 looks a joke, with most of them have failed to conduct their domestic tournaments and not submitted their annual reports and statement of accounts. What we need is not quantity but quality in the field and the National team’s performances at the International competitions. It is crystal clear to us, the number of clubs and leagues increased, simply to secure their top seats at the upcoming AGM. We are great at the bluff game – be it in politics, sports or in other field. Some have mastered the art of bluff in style to such perfection, that an unsuspecting nation and its leaders, full in the belief that football officials are taking us to Olympic and World Cup heights.
A few air tickets to go abroad, five star lunch and dinner in Colombo Hotels offered to selected league officials gives a finishing touches with writings that pushes to shame fantasies, fables and delights, while our football standards have reached the last layer of the base and there is no more to go below.
Volume of articles have been written by me, as well as by knowledge and experience sports writers for decades with regard to the development and promotion of the common man’s sport – football in this country which did not reach the deaf ears and blind eyes of the officials of the Controlling Body.
Much is expected from the incumbent Minister of Sports to put football right and by the year 2016 we expect a formidable National team who will at least initially reach Asian Standards.
Since 1995 it has become a tradition and culture to occupy the top seats in the Controlling Body for two years by individuals who have not played football at a higher level, technically ignorant and care a damn for football and the country.
It is high time to the Hon. Minister of Sports to save football from the evil influence of few money – men who are running our football from the league level. Apply the same Law you intend to implement even to the affiliated League Presidents, Secretaries and Treasurers who have failed to conduct their own domestic tournament properly and not submitted their annual reports in time to the Controlling Body. Such League officials must not be allowed to vote at the AGM of the FFSL.
When you analysis the present pathetic standards of our football and its administration, it is impossible to the Minister of Sports to establish good governance and formulate a programme to help Sri Lanka football to climb up the ladder of success within a few days. The damage caused for the last two decades cannot be re corrected overnight. It will take at least two years of hard work and commitment with sensible planning to reach Asian Standards, leave along Olympic or World Cup level. As I have always mentioned and believe, we have talented players, coaches and administers in our country either on par or better than some of the Asian Countries. What we need is a proper development programme from the grassroots level, managed by persons who are knowledgeable of the game and those who really love football not those who seek personal glory.
During the last two decades or so things seem to have not gone right with the sport and its administration. Hon. Minister if you implement the Sports Regulation to the letter, some selfish and unpatriotic ones are, of course going to tag you as a ‘Dictator’. Don’t worry the soccer loving crowd without any political affiliations are with you. They are well aware that you are taking the correct steps to get rid those few ‘real dictators’ who ruined our football.
FIFA the World Governing Body for football have granted a two-month grace period to the crisis-ridden Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) to conduct its election of office bearers for the next two years. Further football sympathizers have come out with an excuse that if an Interim Administration is introduced, the Asian and World Controlling Body may ban us from playing football. This is only a move to hoodwink the Sports Ministry. When our Controlling Body is in a mess and our teams are not fit to play in international tournament which both AFC and FIFA are well aware, all what the sports Ministry has to do, is to either write an official letter or send few officials who are technically qualified to explain to the Asian and World Governing Body and say that because of the poor administration lapses in the FFSL and also due to poor standard of our teams, to grant us a grace period of at least six months to put our Football House in order which is in a mess, further to draw and implement a proper and sensible plan and programme to develop and promote our standard. No Governing Body would penalise or ban any nation on this issue, surely.