Another dark cloud in the horizon
A group of candidates for the forthcoming Sri Lanka Cricket election are urging the Sports Minister to uphold democracy by conducting the long overdue poll without delay.
Sports Minister Harin Fernando will meet International Cricket Council (ICC) head Shashank Manohar today in Nagpur in a desperate bid to convince the global body to allow more time for the election, despite dates having been fixed and nominations accepted. The poll is scheduled for February 7, just two days ahead of an ICC deadline fixed for February 9.
Mohan de Silva (c) who is contesting for the post of president at Sri Lanka Cricket elections urges Minister of Sports to uphold democarcy by holding elections on the schedule date.
“The administration of cricket in an undemocratic manner without a duly elected body is not the ideal way forward in our view, for whatsoever reason, as it could only further damage and have severe repercussions for the game, its reputation nationally and internationally,” states a letter signed by Mohan de Silva, Shammi Silva and Bandula Dissanayake,who will contest for President, Vice President and Secretary respectively.
Any interim arrangement without a justifiable reason is a breach of the ICC’s constitution which requires free and fair elections for office-bearers within member boards. Sri Lanka has repeatedly violated this in the past, with ministers sacking democratically-elected committees according to their whims and fancies.
“ It is also strictly not permissible from an ICC governance perspective and is a laid down criteria in their constitution to which Sri Lanka is a signatory,” the letter reads. “It is for this reason that Sri Lanka are currently deprived of their voting rights at ICC meetings and we have been reduced to ‘Observer”status at Board Meetings. Any sort of interim arrangement or body is not recognized by the ICC Board. As a respected full member of ICC, this does not augur well for us in the eyes of the other Full Member countries.”
Soon after assuming duties at the Reid Avenue’s plush ministry premises, Minister Fernando vowed to clean out the proverbial Augean stable. And he declared that he preferred an interim administration to run SLC affairs till the election.
The SLC’s voting structure has long been seen as corrupt with allegations of vote-buying by businessmen to win office in the country’s richest sporting body. SLC has 147 votes–the highest in the world.
“I have not selected people on political background,” Minister said referring to members he has identified for the proposed interim committee. He has floated the names of Sidath Wettimuny and Roshan Mahanama, who are respected on and off the field, to lead the institution in the interim and to bring about essential constitutional and structural changes that will allow men with integrity to lead the billion-rupee business.
The SLC election, initially due on May 31 this year, was postponed on a Court order. With the term of the then administration headed by Thilanga Sumathipala ending on the same day, the Sports Minister appointed his top ministry official Kamal Padmasiri as the Competent Authority despite appeals from various quarters to install an interim committee.
During the last six months, SLC has suffered heavily. The board had to cancel a proposed domestic T20 league and got entangled in a million dollar fraud involving its Chief Financial Officer while discipline has hit new lows with the ICC suspending a team captain, coach and manager over ICC Code violations. Performance on the field have also been dismal.
During an interim arrangement, a member country loses its ICC status and can only attend meetings as an observer without any voting rights. They also held any financial distributions in escrow.
“During the last six months considerable damage has been caused to the game and the institution as the lucrative Lanka Premier League (LPL) tournament which was to have taken place during August/September this year had to be suspended, thus hampering the preparations for the 2019 World Cup,” the letter states. “It is pertinent to mention that funds due to SLC amounting to over USD 5 million are being held in suspension due to the Observer Status SLC has now been downgraded too.”
If the Minister goes ahead, even the ICC’s sanction, the matter could end up in Court as many view it as a fundamental rights violation. “I am sure the court will understand,” Minister rebuffed, when asked what he would do if this happens.
“His intentions are good and people whom he has selected command the highest regard of the ICC but he needs to respect the SLC constitution and the Sports Law,” a legal expert said, requesting anonymity. “If he doesn’t, this will end up in Court.”