When the castle’s keeper errs – the crooked man walks the crooked mile
View(s):There is no argument; Sri Lankans generally are cricket fanatics. In the present context, when Lankan cricket is suffering from the Down Syndrome, the majority of the populace would swear that they would not step within a fifteen foot radius of the television screen when our matches are being telecast, but as soon as the match begins, hey presto they are back on their favourite couch, ready for action.
Last Thursday it was a bit different. The day began as usual, but suddenly the morning news bulletin broke the news that Kusal Janith Perera — one of Sri Lanka’s new hopes of cricket — would be back in action after his four months ordeal.
The morning newspapers had missed the story and the electronic wizards were taking the maximum mileage. When investigated a little further we learned that the ICC had released the news item at 11.30 p.m. Lankan time the previous day.
Yet, there was something amiss. The deeper you went into the problem, the more sinister the whole plot seemed to be. Our column was right behind the story throughout. On March 13, our main news item said that Lankan opening batsman Kusal Janith Perera who was recalled from Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand in December last year and subsequently suspended over the usage of the banned substance ‘nandrolone’ had been subjected to two more tests by the ICC.
We said the authorities had carried out two polygraph tests including a Hair Test on March 8 and 9 and were awaiting the results. We quoted an SLC insider as saying, “We are waiting for the results of the two polygraph tests done on him. Once the results are out we are hoping to move into action. Initially we have to get the ICC authorities to give us an early hearing and then the lawyers will take over the defence so that the sentence will be a lenient one.
Kusal back on track, training for bigger deeds. Pic by Shanuka Aravinda
“Earlier the SLC has been advised that a sample provided by Kusal Janith Perera for random testing carried out by the ICC during the recent Pakistani Tour, yielded a positive result for a banned substance. “Once there were reports claiming that the test was positive because of drugs he had taken to treat a leach bite on the recommendation of a physiotherapist but they failed to inform the ICC about the usage of the substance. Kusal Janith Perera’s sample was tested positive after the tests were carried out in a laboratory in Qatar.”
However almost two months and several more tests later, ICC turns back on their pedestal and mumbles, “ICC withdraws disciplinary proceedings against Kusal Perera under the ICC Anti-Doping Code after the Qatar laboratory withdraws original Adverse Analytical Finding.”
Thereafter, the ICC statement quoted its Chief Executive David Richardson as saying: “We are seeking an urgent explanation from WADA and the laboratory in an attempt to understand what has transpired and what will be done to ensure it does not happen again. No evidence that Kusal Janith Perera has cheated through the use of performance enhancing substances.”
The Sunday Times Sports is with Thilanga Sumathipala and his company for standing by the beleaguered Lankan cricketer. According Sumathipala, he worked on just one sentence. He asked Ravi de Silva, his CCC colleague and Kusal Janith Perera’s manager, “Do you believe in what Kusal Janith says.” Once the answer was positive Sumathipala was willing to take the fight to the end.
At the same time, Sumathipala reiterated that in every instance there is a first. He said he was not afraid to face the ICC bouncers without any protective gear. He said he knew how the ICC machinery worked and how to work around it. In 1995, when the Aussie machine challenged the action of Muttiah Muralitharan, the Lankans cut their teeth.
The happy duo- Manager Ravi de Silva and Kusal all smiles. Pic by Jayamal Chandrasiri
“At that time the ICC had no written laws on bowling actions. When umpire Darrell Hair put Lankan cricket in a spot by challenging Murali’s bowling action, we took up the challenge. We knew that we had no answers in the cricketing parlance where this predicament is concerned. However there too we picked up a statement made by the late commentator and England Test captain Tony Greig and began to work on it. Then when the doosra predicament was thrust upon Muralitharan, once again we worked on it.
“In both instances, we worked on a scientific basis. Because once a point is established scientifically, it goes into the statute book and it becomes law. That is how Muralitharan survived to create history as the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.”
Sumathipala said this experience helped Sri Lanka Cricket the courage to probe into the Janith quandary. He added, “That is why we took up the challenge against all odds. No one had challenged the verdict of the lab tests in any manner prior to this instance. At the same time by adopting polygraph and hair tests we have proved that not only the athlete facing allegations, but, even the scientific staff could be proved right or wrong if a case is properly handled. Finally the case was withdrawn even without a hearing.
“We are sure that once again Sri Lanka has pioneered new legislation to support any sportsman, if he/she is wrongly accused.”
If this is so, what about those athletes who have been wrongly accused and sentenced on earlier occasions?
We wonder how the WADA machinery works. It was set up for a very noble cause – to eradicate cheating in sports. However, if the ultimate result is that the very laboratory that is set up to pick out cheating could err, the whole exercise crashes into smithereens.
What happened to Lankan cricket is discussed and now Kusal Janith Perera is well on his way to redemption. But, how could anyone ever bring back the may-be? What if the Lankans had played the last Kiwi series unperturbed? What if Sri Lanka had a different composition in batting and defended the ICC T-20 World Championship successfully? What if there was a plot to sideline some of the prominent cricketers just before the ICC T-20 World Cup? Now it is a multimillion dollar business?
First it was Kusal Janith. Then the Pakistani leg spinner Yasir Shah was laid off till the T-20 event was completed for taking a wrong drug. The reports said the ICC accepted Shah’s claim that he had taken the banned substance for therapeutic reasons – namely to treat high blood pressure. The ICC said he had mistakenly taken his wife’s medication – which contained chlortalidone – instead of his own. However, Yasir Shah admitted his folly and he got a lenient sentence.
Then the West Indian off spinner Sunil Narine pulled out of the ICC T-20 event just prior to the event, but, back in action in time for the IPL two months later. With what is happening in the world of sports one can never say.