Gold Coast Games: Last-ditch effort to lift the ban on badminton
Will it be an outcome to get confused or a reason to rejoice as Sri Lanka Badminton awaits BWF's final ruling - File pic
Sports Minister Jayasekera leads team to Malaysia for talks with BWF offiicals
There is a glimmer hope for the Lankan shuttlers to be a part of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia in April next year.
Earlier Commonwealth Games authorities were discussing whether to allow Sri Lanka’s badminton team to participate at the 2018 event in view of an international ban on the local governing body.
The ban was imposed after the local sports authorities appointed an interim committee in violation of the world body’s rules. On October 24, the Badminton World Federation (BWF)’s Secretary General Thomas Lund in a letter to the Lankan Badminton Interim Committee Chairman Nishantha Jayasinghe informed the Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA) that under clause 13.5 of the BWF constitution, they had been suspended. The World Badminton body at that point had determined that the SLBA was not in a position to govern the sport in an independent and autonomous manner under clauses 5.2 and 5.3 of the BWF constitution. According to clause 13.10 of the WBF constitution, a suspended member of the BWF shall be deprived of all rights of membership.
Following this ban, a delegation led by Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera travelled to Malaysia and explained matters to the WBF authorities and requested them to temporarily lift the ban so that the Lankan players would be a part of the Gold Coast Games.
The minister told the Sunday Times yesterday, “The SLBA had held an election but it did so without going through the proper audited accounts. So we had to cancel the election and at present there is also a legal plaint filed in courts. We explained to the BWF authorities that unlike in other countries, in Sri Lanka most sports have to be propped up by government funds so that activities of such sports have to be audited by the Auditor General’s Department and the ministry cannot permit any association that does not have these credentials to hold office.
“Once these facts were presented, the BWF authorities accepted our position while, on our part, we gave them a pledge to hold the SLBA elections which would be properly conducted with the help of eminent persons of the given sport and ministry officials.
“At that point the BWF authorities said that they could not lift the ban in a hurry, but, requested us to present the facts in writing so that they could arrive at a decision. We had the meeting with the BWF authorities on December 16 and we forwarded the requisite letter on the same night.”
When inquired from the National Olympic Committee about the status quo of badminton, National Olympic Committee Secretary General Maxwell de Silva told the Sunday Times, “As far the NOCSL is concerned, the badminton conundrum is an internal matter and the badminton authorities can attend the Special General Meeting, which is an IOC prerequisite.
“However as per the Commonwealth Games issue, NOCSL President Hemasiri Fernando himself has made a request to the Commonwealth Games about the December 31 deadline to resolve the issue. We learn that there is a move to engage the BWF to lift the sanctions before December 31.”
The Gold Coast Games will be held from April 5 to 21, 2018. Sri Lanka will take part in athletics, badminton (pending), swimming, diving, boxing, cycling, beach volleyball, gymnastics, wrestling, weightlifting, table tennis, rugby, shooting squash and para-sports.