IOC responds to amended Sports Law
View(s):The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has sent its response to the Ministry of Sports of Sri Lanka on the country’s amended Sports Regulation the Sunday Times learns. The response, according to informed sources, is not in favour of Sri Lanka sports it is said.
This is how it all began: Former Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage with experts in the field of sports before the Sports Regulation was about to be amended two years ago. So far the changes have brought nothing but crisis – File pic
But the Director General of Sports for the Ministry of Sports, K.D.S. Ruwanchandra stated that the IOC’s reply to Sri Lanka’s amended Sports Regulation is not as bad as it is. He said “We have been given a feedback by the IOC and we will have to respond as soon as possible. We took time to comprehensively amend the Sports Regulation before sending it to the IOC headquarters. Now, as the committee that was responsible for making the amendments, we must sit together, study the case and review the recommendations made by the IOC. It is not compulsory hundred percent to accept the changes recommended by the IOC, but we do have the liberty to make our revisions and reply soon,”
The Director General further stressed that the IOC has not given Sri Lanka a deadline to respond, though he states it is a matter that should be addressed as soon as possible. However, the General Secretary of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), Maxwell de Silva, when inquired on the matter, stated that the IOC never responds with deadlines unspecified.
“The IOC has made it clear that the Ministry of Sports should revert to its original stance by end August. The IOC is an entity that adhere to true professionalism into their day-to-day activities and they have clearly made their observations while giving a deadline for Sri Lanka to reply. As soon as we received the response from the IOC, we as the NOC, requested the Ministry of Sports for a meeting soon. But we are yet to get a reply from the Ministry,” de Silva stated.
Before a permanent remedy is brought to the impending crisis that the entire sporting fraternity of Sri Lanka is facing currently, the Ministry of Sports took a step ahead and conducted the Annual General Meetings (AGM) of certain local sports governing bodies before end of July.
In June the Ministry of Sports assured that it would spearhead the process of holding AGMs or elections of 18 local sports governing bodies in the midst of controversies created by confusions related to the Sports Regulation that replaced the Sports Law Act 23 of 1973 which in accordance forced to modify the constitutions of local sports governing bodies.
“Most of the local sports governing bodies are yet to adopt the guidelines notified by the NOC. They were well informed to redraft their respective constitutions and get them approved after thorough review by the respective international bodies. But it is yet to happen from any of these local affiliations. The failure from their part has caused an unwanted delay and panic to the problem and the international bodies,” NOC chief Hemasiri Fernando stated in early July.
Experts in the field of sports too stressed that the Fernando’s point as one of the key aspects to all the hullabaloos that Sri Lanka is facing at present. While Director General Ruwanchandra states that holding of AGMs has no or very little connection to the crisis that the Ministry of Sports and IOC is engaged at.
“The IOC is fully focused on the amendments to the Sports Regulation and we too are keen to have all matters resolved very soon,” he stated. But veterans in sports administration are of the view that this could be one point where Sri Lanka has got everything confused. They are of the view that if Sri Lanka had the willingness to change a Sports Act that lasted for four decades, the responsible authorities should have observed all the aspects and the possible counter attacks before trying to enact it.
However last month the Sri Lanka Badminton Association was suspended by the World Badminton Federation (BWF) citing political interference and a flawed constitution. The Sri Lanka Athletic Federation, Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union, Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union, Sri Lanka Hockey Federation, Football Federation of Sri Lanka and even Sri Lanka Cricket is at immediate risk of facing possible bans if the trend of, not getting their respective constitutions, continues.
The National Sports Law Regulation 2013 Act 1 gazette draft which was adopted on January 15, 2013 caused continuous debate and confusion within the local sports fraternity. This act came to affect with many amendments under the then Minister of Sports, Mahindananda Aluthgamage.
The amended Sports Regulation, since its adoption has affected the local sports governing bodies with unforeseen crisis. The IOC pointed its finger on Sports Ministry of Sri Lanka, stating it goes against the Olympic Charter, dragging the crisis onto many rounds of meetings between its officials. But a fitting remedy was seen far from reach until the incumbent Sports Minister Navin Dissanayake, had to face pressure from international sports governing bodies, who threatened of sanctions, and the IOC.
Minister Dissanayake, while taking a firm and positive stance on the changes stated that they should also adhere to the existing legal mechanism of the country. After direction and guidance from the IOC Sri Lanka made amendments to the adopted National Sports Regulation 2013 Act 1, through a committee formed by four and three expert officials representing the Sports Ministry and the NOC respectively.